- #61
TubbaBlubba
zomgwtf said:
Not trying to provoke anything here, but that's really what it does to most people, at least around here in Sweden.
Why Do Protesters Gather at the Spelling Bee?
- Thread starter Pattonias
- Start date
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the protests occurring at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, specifically focusing on the topic of phonetic spelling versus traditional spelling. Participants express various opinions on the implications of changing spelling conventions, the motivations behind the protests, and the broader impact on education and communication.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
- Meta-discussion
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express disbelief at the protests, labeling them as "ridiculous" and suggesting that they promote a dumbing down of language.
- Others argue that traditional spelling is a barrier to literacy and job opportunities, citing the costs associated with illiteracy.
- A few participants propose radical changes to spelling, such as assigning unique characters to each word or adopting a phonetic system similar to Chinese.
- Concerns are raised about the implications of phonetic spelling on communication, with suggestions that it could lead to the use of text speak.
- Some participants share personal grievances about specific American spellings and the use of imperial units, expressing frustration with the differences between American and British English.
- A participant mentions a protester's statement about young people's communication preferences, questioning the effectiveness of their message.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
The discussion features multiple competing views regarding the merits and drawbacks of phonetic spelling versus traditional spelling. There is no consensus on the issue, with participants expressing a range of opinions and concerns.
Contextual Notes
Participants reference various assumptions about literacy, educational standards, and cultural implications of spelling reforms, but these assumptions are not universally accepted or explored in depth.
Not trying to provoke anything here, but that's really what it does to most people, at least around here in Sweden.
- #62
magpies
- 177
- 2
Well that's because your not american of course your going to protest that sweden is the best and if people act like america is better you will naturally not agree.
- #63
BobG
Science Advisor
- 352
- 87
DaveC426913 said:
Or it could be a tongue in cheek comment about how I feel about our illegal immigration "crisis".
- #64
TubbaBlubba
magpies said:
Sweden is great in many ways and terrible in many ways. I don't identify myself with my nation. I don't think I'd rather live in America, though.
- #65
turbo
Gold Member
- 3,154
- 57
BobG said:
Yes, the word that they stole from the French. That would be much nicer. That way when you have a whole bushel of zuccini to unload on neighbors, you can ambush them with a word that sounds like you might be giving them something they actually want.Thanks to French nobility residing in England, many of the English words for food products are derived from the French and NOT from English. Nobility did not have to tend kine, swine or sheep, but they loved to eat beef, pork, and mutton - all derived from the French.