The Long View: Roosevelt's Spelling Reform
In case you are curious about what changes TR wanted to make to the spelling of English words, here is the list TR sent to his printer; many of the spellings did eventually become standard in American English. Certainly not all, but he seems to have guessed pretty well.
Theodore Roosevelt's List of Simplified Spellings
Charlesthe Letter
Using the spellchecker in the 2003 edition of Word set for American English, the software rejected approximately 106 of the New Spellings. Of these, the largest class were forms like "affixt" and "transgrest." In contrast, the spellchecker rejected 178 of the Old Spellings. Note that, because of the inclusion of variants, there are a few more Old Spellings than New.
| New Spellings abridgment accouter acknowledgment addrest adz affixt altho anapest anemia anesthesia anesthetic antipyrin antitoxin apothem apprize arbor archeology ardor armor artizan assize ax bans bark behavior blest blusht brazen brazier bun bur caliber caliper candor carest catalog catechize center chapt check checker chimera civilize clamor clangor clapt claspt clipt clue coeval color colter commixt comprest comprize confest controller coquet criticize cropt crost crusht cue curst cutlas dactyl dasht decalog defense demogog demeanor deposit deprest develop dieresis dike dipt discust dispatch distil distrest dolor domicil draft dram drest dript droopt dropt dulness ecumenical edile egis enamor encyclopedia endeavor envelop Eolian eon epaulet eponym era esophagus esthetic esthetics estivate ether etiology exorcize exprest fagot fantasm fantasy fantom favor favorite fervor fiber fixt flavor fulfil fulness gage gazel gelatin gild gipsy gloze glycerin good-by gram gript harbor harken heapt hematin hiccup hock homeopathy homonym honor humor husht hypotenuse idolize imprest instil jail judgment kist labor lacrimal lapt lasht leapt legalize license licorice liter lodgment lookt lopt luster mama maneuver materialize meager medieval meter mist miter mixt mold molder molding moldy molt mullen naturalize neighbor niter nipt ocher odor offense omelet opprest orthopedic paleography paleolithic paleontology paleozoic paraffin parlor partizan past patronize pedagog pedobaptist phenix phenomenon pigmy plow polyp possest practise, v. & n. prefixt prenomen prest pretense preterit pretermit primeval profest program prolog propt pur quartet questor quintet rancor rapt raze recognize reconnoiter rigor rime ript rumor saber saltpeter savior savor scepter septet sepulcher sextet silvan simitar sipt sithe skilful skipt slipt smolder snapt somber specter splendor stedfast stept stopt strest stript subpena succor suffixt sulfate sulfur sumac supprest surprize synonym tabor tapt teazel tenor theater tho thoro thorofare thoroly thru thruout tipt topt tost transgrest trapt tript tumor valor vapor vext vigor vizor wagon washt whipt whisky wilful winkt wisht wo woful woolen wrapt | Old Spellings abridgement accoutre acknowledgement addressed adze affixed although anapaest, anapæst anaemic, anæmia anaesthesia, anæsthesia anaesthetic, anæsthetic antipyrine antitoxine apothegm, apophthegm apprise arbour archaeology, archæology ardour armour artisan assise axe banns barque behaviour blessed blushed brasen brasier bunn burr calibre calliper candour caressed catalogue catechise centre chapped cheque chequer chimaera, chimæra civilse clamour clangour clapped clasped clipped clew coaeval, coæval colour coulter commixed compressed comprise confessed comptroller coquette criticise cropped crossed crushed queue cursed cutlass dactyle dashed decalogue defence demagogue demeanour deposite depressed develop diaeresis, diæresis dyke dipped discussed despatch distill distressed dolour domicile draught drachm dressed dripped drooped dropped dullness oecumenical, œcumenical aedile, ædile aegis, ægis enamour encyclopaedia, encyclopædia endeavour envelope Aeolian, æolian aeon, æon epaulette eponyme aera, æra oesophagus, œsophagus aesthetic, æsthetic aesthetics, æsthetics aestivate, æstivate aether, æther aetiology, ætiology exorcise expressed faggot phantasm phantasy phantom favour favourite fervour fibre fixed flavour fulfill fullness gauge gazelle gelatine guild gypsy glose glycerine good-bye gramme gripped harbour hearken heaped haematin, hæmatin hiccough hough homoeopathy, homœopathy homonyme honour humour hushed hypothenuse idolise impressed instill gaol judgement kissed labour lachrymal lapped lashed leaped legalise licence liquorice litre lodgement looked lopped lustre mamma manœuver, manœuvre materialise meagre mediaeval, mediæval metre missed mitre mixed mould moulder mouldering mouldy moult mullein naturalise neighbour nitre nipped ochre odour offence omelette oppressed orthopaedic, orthopædic palaeography, palæography palaeolithic, palæolithic palaeontology, palæontology palaeozoic, palæozoic paraffine parlour partisan passed patronise pedagogue paedobaptist, pædobaptist phoenix, phœnix phaenomenon, phænomenon pygmy plough polype possessed practice prefixed praenomen, prænomen pressed pretence preterite, præterite praetermit, prætermit primaeval, primæval professed programme prologue propped purr quartette quaestor, quæstor quintette rancour rapped rase recognise reconnoitre rigor rhyme ripped rumor sabre saltpetre saviour savour sceptre septette sepulchre sextette sylvan scimitar, cimeter, etc sipped scythe skillful skipped slipped smoulder snapped sombre spectre splendour steadfast stepped stopped stressed stripped subpoena, subpœna succour suffixed sulphate sulphur sumach suppressed surprise synonyme tabour tapped teasel, teasle, teazle tenour theatre though, tho' thorough, thoro' thoroughfare thoroughly through, thro', thro throughout tipped topped tossed transgressed trapped tripped tumour valour vapour vexed vigour visor waggon washed whipped whiskey willful winked wished woe woeful woollen wrapped |
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