[G. Stolyarov II]

G. Stolyarov II is a science fiction novelist, independent filosofical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician and composer, contributor to Enter Stage Right and SoloHQ, writer for Objective Medicine, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator. He can be contacted at gennadystolyarovii@yahoo.com.

[G. Stolyarov II]

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[MineralMan]

There is a problem with your orthographic suggestion. In the instant case of the word Philosophy, you ignore the usefulness of the "Ph" construct, which is a clear link to the origin of the word, from the Greek root "philos." Understanding the link is a key to understanding the word.

This is the central problem with suggestions for changes in our traditional English orthography. Too much meaning is lost to readers of the text by altering spellings to match some rational scheme based on pronunciation.

A rational orthography has been proposed many times. Each proposal has been abandoned, for the reasons I mention.

[general_re]

In this essay I shall be implementing an orthografic innovation: at all instances in which the combination “ph” is part of a word and is pronounced as “f,” it shall be spelled as “f.”

Too late: Meihem In Ce Klasrum (1946)

[ScudEast]

An interesting fact about p and f that I learnt by reading a Steven J Gould book.

Grimms' Law (the same Grimms who collected the fairy tales) says that Latin "p"s become "f"s in Germanic languages (from which English is largely derived). For example "piscis" becomes "fish", "plenum" becomes "full", pes becomes "foot".

Maybe these "ph"s are a missing link in this evolutionary process and need to be weeded out as the nasty little throwbacks they are.

Or maybe they are part of the history of our language which itself contains part of the "soul" or concious perspective that Ayn Rand was talking about and removing them removes part of their meaning.

[NotQuiteCricket]

sindividual There are all sorts of connotations around that word that go deep into theology, and politics.

I wish that I had the time to sit around and navel gaze and think about stuff like this.

[dasboot]

'R' is tot'ly supafluis: ask any New Englinda.

If we can get vidda all da "r" lettiz (oh yeah, the 'th', too) den we cood save a lotta papah.

Can I join yaw club?

[Henchman]

1. Henceforth FOOD and GOOD will be pronounced the same.
2. The plural of mouse is mice so the plural of house will be hice.
3. Since the plural of OX is OXEN, the plural of Klenex will be Kleenen, although some are trying to make a case for Klenesees.
4. The city in Indo China known as Phuket will be spelled the same and pronounced differently in order to disuade Japanese pedoFiles from vacationing there.

...additional rules may be added as well as reasonable exceptions at the creator's will.

[r9etb]

Here we note a violation of the Individualist Premise.

Well, I must admit that this is the first time I've come across a person who says that "ph" is a tool of the looters, or whatever.

Of course, your trying to force us to use "f" instead of "ph" would qualify as the same sin.

If you want to be logically consistent, why not just ditch spelling rules altogether -- to do otherwise is to smash the individual.

[SoothingDave]

This is not mere speculative fiction; having at one time learned English as a second language myself, I could not at first avoid slipping into my conversations an occasional “hafazard.”

Undoubtedly, English holds its pitfalls for non-native speakers. However, the language and its conventions are not in the control of any one person, and one should simply accept the quirks of the language for what they are. There is information conveyed in our spellings far beyond a mere "guide-to-pronunciation."

SD

[Johnny Gage]

Well that's just PHAT.

[Polybius]

...the Romans, suffered from a plethora of orthografic misrepresentations. ......Nor was there a letter “f,” despite the presence of a need to furnish the sound now represented by it, ....... The letter “f” entered the English language from the Germanic side of its origins,

Wrong.

Roman denarius with a reverse honoring the allegory of FELICITAS

Roman denarius with a reverse honoring the allegory of FIDES

Roman denarius with a reverse honoring the allegory of FORTVNA

[Old Professer]

I've had enough ghilosoghy to last me a lightime.

[js1138]

objectively employing my mind, I pronounce this a load.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Time to cook some vermicelli and listen to Dvorak's cello conerto.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Have you ever considered that you ought to focus your mental energy on something a bit more useful than promoting the extinction of "ph"?

[VadeRetro]

Premise I- “The Code Premise”

Disappointing to hear Ayn Rand speaking in tongues like some bureaucrat writing a managment plan.