{"product_id":"enough-is-enuf-our-failed-attempts-to-make-english-easier-to-spell-isbn-9780063360211","title":"Enough Is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell","description":"\u003cp\u003eA brief and humorous 500-year language history of the Simplified Spelling Movement from advocates like Ben Franklin, C. S. Lewis, and Mark Twain to texts and Twitter.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhy does the\u003ci\u003e G \u003c\/i\u003ein \u003ci\u003eGeorge\u003c\/i\u003e sound different from the \u003ci\u003eG \u003c\/i\u003ein \u003ci\u003egorge\u003c\/i\u003e? Why does \u003ci\u003eC \u003c\/i\u003ebegin both \u003ci\u003ecase \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003ecease\u003c\/i\u003e? And why is it funny when a philologist faints, but not polight to laf about it? Anyone who has ever had the misfortune to write in English has, at one time or another, struggled with its inconsistent English orthography.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo why do we continue to use it? If our system of writing words is so tragically inconsistent, why haven’t we standardized it with a new phonetic alphabet, brought it into line? How many brave linguists have ever had the courage to state, in a declaration of phonetic revolt: “Enough is \u003ci\u003eenuf\u003c\/i\u003e”? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe answer: \u003ci\u003emany.\u003c\/i\u003e In the comic annals of linguistic history, legions of rebel wordsmiths have died on the hill of spelling reform, risking their reputations to bring English into the realm of the rational. This essential guide to language and linguistics is about them: Mark Twain, Ben Franklin, Eliza Burnz, C. S. Lewis, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Darwin, and the innumerable others on both sides of the Atlantic who, for a time in their life, became fanatically occupied with writing \u003ci\u003ethru\u003c\/i\u003e instead of \u003ci\u003ethrough, tho\u003c\/i\u003e for \u003ci\u003ethough, laf\u003c\/i\u003e for \u003ci\u003elaugh, beleev\u003c\/i\u003e for \u003ci\u003ebelieve,\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003edawter\u003c\/i\u003e for \u003ci\u003edaughter\u003c\/i\u003e (and tried futilely to get everyone around them to do it too). \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHenry takes his humorous and informative chronicle right up to today as the language seems to naturally be simplifying to fit the needs of our changing world thanks to technology—from texting to Twitter and emojis, the Simplified Spelling Movement may finally be having its day.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis laugh-out-loud journey through our language’s chaotic past reveals the forgotten rebels, presidential decrees, and comic failures behind the spelling we use today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eRebel Wordsmiths:\u003c\/b\u003e Meet the passionate, and often eccentric, advocates for change, from founding father Benjamin Franklin to literary giants like Mark Twain and George Bernard Shaw.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePresidential Meddling:\u003c\/b\u003e Discover the untold story of how President Theodore Roosevelt tried to force simplified spelling on the U.S. government—and how the press and Congress fought back.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe Birth of the Dictionary:\u003c\/b\u003e Uncover the obsessive quest of Noah Webster to create a uniquely American dictionary, smuggling his own simplified spellings into its pages.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFrom Texting to Twitter:\u003c\/b\u003e Connect the dots from centuries-old reform movements to the shorthand of texting and emojis, and find out why the Simplified Spelling Movement may finally be winning.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e | \u003cp\u003e\"A witty work of linguistic history.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Reed it and lurn a thing or too.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Amusing and enlightening…Henry’s book gave me a new perspective, cheering for the simplification crowd.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Gabe Henry has taken what sounds at first blush like a dry subject—English spelling—and written an incredibly fun, charming, hilarious book.\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eAnd bonus: It made me feel better about getting bounced out of my school spelling bee before reaching the semi-finals. Vindication at last!” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEmily Flake, staff cartoonist for The New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A well-researched and entertaining work that will likely become a new favorite among linguists.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"…[An] amusing overview of historical attempts to bring order to the madness... It's a delight.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"In a tour-de-force that spans from Noah Webster to Mark Twain to Froot Loops to Twitter, Henry unpacks the mysteries of why English is such a joy to read and speak...but such a nightmare to spell. \u003cem\u003eEnough is Enuf\u003c\/em\u003e is a brilliant, thoughtful, often hilarious, and always highly entertaining masterclass on the nuances and pitfalls of our language. This book is required reading for anyone who loves—or hates—English spelling.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJonathan Metzl, author of Dying of Whiteness and What We've Become\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Henry comically shows laugh out loud scenarios… an educational resource to see how complicated the English language is and how difficult it is to change it to make it any better. Those of us who do crossword puzzles will enjoy.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMidwest Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…[A] rich and complex history. It is full of sometimes brilliant, often eccentric, yet ultimately well-intentioned people. And though few are aware of this history, it teaches some important lessons about the nature of language, the technologies we’ve created to capture it, and the passion people hold for how they chose to share their voices with others across time.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBig Think\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…A rich and engaging history of the attempts, from the 16th century to the present day, to bring written English into line with the way we speak. There’s an enjoyable wryness to the way Henry presents his linguistic idealists, headstrong in the face of public indifference or ridicule. [Henry] has a nose for the memorable detail.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In a tour-de-force that spans from Noah Webster to Mark Twain to Froot Loops to Twitter, Henry unpacks the mysteries of why English is such a joy to read and speak…but such a nightmare to spell. \u003cem\u003eEnough is Enuf\u003c\/em\u003e is a brilliant, thoughtful, often hilarious, and always highly entertaining masterclass on the nuances and pitfalls of our language. This book is required reading for anyone who loves—or hates—English spelling.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLithub\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"This buk iz jenuine fun.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMaria Bamford, New York Times bestselling author of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult and creator of Netflix's Lady Dynamite.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Is English spelling a problem? (*Enthusiastic head nodding*) Shud wee doo suhmthing uhbawt it? (*Slowly backs away*) Henry gives us a hilarious history of this oft-repeated cycle of human striving and disappointment. He reveals a surprising cast of characters ranging from the unknown to the very well known, and from sincere and thoughtful to utterly deluded.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eArika Okrent, author of Highly Irregular and In the Land of Invented Languages\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Gabe Henry is a witty and wise tour guide for this exploration of orthography.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeter Sokolowski, Editor-at-Large for Merriam-Webster\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"\u003c\/em\u003eHenry's clever commentary transforms this story of language into pure comedic gold.\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eEnough is Enuf \u003c\/em\u003eis a must-read for anyone who’s ever marveled at the oddities of English\u003cem\u003e. \u003c\/em\u003eThis is a word nerd’s dream come true.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eOphira Eisenberg, host of NPR's Ask Me Another and iHeartRadio's Parenting is a Joke\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…[A] smart, lighthearted chronicle of the simplified spelling. It’s fitting that our guide through this history is a humorist.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dey Street Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44890892632293,"sku":"NP9780063360211","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780063360211.jpg?v=1730234285","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/enough-is-enuf-our-failed-attempts-to-make-english-easier-to-spell-isbn-9780063360211","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}