Regarding the "layer of code," language itself is already an implicit code and transmits hierarchies and structures by its very grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. I'm thinking also of Stephen Brookfield's thinking on critical thinking, where structures of power (social institutions) and hegemony (self interest) shape the most "basic" and "natural" assumptions that  people hold when problem solving and decision making. (There's Critical thinking for adults would be to begin to be aware of these assumptions that are inherent in language. What they do about that awareness would, I presume, be up to them.
Bonnie Odiorne, Writing Center, Post University bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net 

--- On Mon, 1/19/09, Kearney Lykins <kearney_lykins at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Kearney Lykins <kearney_lykins at yahoo.com>
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3511] Re: oral vs reading traditions
To: "The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List" <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Date: Monday, January 19, 2009, 7:50 PM





I concur with Steve's assessment.  I don't see how truspel can possibly make language learning easier since it adds a layer of code between the learner and the language.  This arrangement is in fact a code of a code; a double encryption if you will.
 
Regards,

Kearney Lykins

 




From: Steve Kaufmann <steve at thelinguist.com>
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 11:10:37 AM
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3487] Re: oral vs reading traditions

I fail  to see the benefit of teaching children truespel. I would strongly oppose it. Children would still have to learn how to spell in order to communicate in writing and in order to read. Every language has its difficulty as well as junk code that is unnecessary. 

Why not get rid of articles in English and the complicated tenses while we are at ? Other languages do fine without them. Let's drop gender and the subjunctive in various European languages. They serve no purpose and are hard to remember, and make the learning of cases almost impossible.  Why not combine French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese into one "interlingua" so that foreigners would only have to learn one Romance language to talk to all of these people. Let's get rid of of verb aspects in Russian, other languages do not need them. Why not write Chinese in the Roman alphabet so it is easier for foreigners?

No. Languages are what they are. They evolve over time. They are living natural human phenomena. I fail to see any useful purpose to truespel. Learn to spell or use a spell checker.

Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com

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