I think that she is sooooo right & we should stop pushing kids so hard - they have to learn sooo much and we all no that learning can't be fun - they should be playing computer games, hanging round street corners, taking / selling drugs, etc. The only skill you need for this is Maths (adding, subtraction and multiplying so that you can work out how much you have to pay and receive - understanding gross and net is good as if you don't your dealer might break your legs).

The antique, inconsistent English spelling system is indeed probably the main reason why the UK has more educational underachievement than any other European country. A spelling system that has naturally evolved over centuries should be changed to suit the new generation.

We could also burn all the history books as it takes so long to learn about it and when you do it is all out of date.

Alternatively it might be cos of liberals like her excusing the inadequacies of the current crop of children and some of their teachers (not all of them but just those who share her such misguided beliefs) that achieve success in any area of life is not as a consequence of either be gifted, willing to work hard or just being extremely lucky. The way that we test and measure children in the UK doesn't help as we have now got a system which lowers the benchmark so that those who would have previously excelled might become bored and thus distracted.

The one thing I remember from my childhood is if I misbehaved and someone asked me why, I never said the real reason as I figured out that it was easy to use an excuse that a liberal doo gooder would then allow me off scot free without any consequence other than having to hug a few trees.

I know you're talking as much rubbish as the woman in the article. If you want to be serious then be so - if not - shut up.

Is that English enough for you?

Dear oh dear! what utter drivel, and what a stupid woman!!

That article was a waste of paper space!

& talking about a bat on a forum about the English Language is being serious and not going off tangent? Practice what you preach comes to mind.

Is that plain enough English for you?

It is English enough yes. Did I go a little off tangent? Yes. I still think your talk of computer games and learning maths to sell drugs is rubbish though. I presume you were being sarcastic.

How absolutely nail-on-the-head true!

Masha Bell has form in the "simplify spelling" movement. It's a familiar hobby horse of a few (IMHO very misguided) individuals who seem to me to be far keener on excusing the appalling spelling of children rather than addressing the fundamental failings of the spell-as-you-speak ideology.

"Simplifying" or systematising spelling would not only destroy the etymological links English has with its donor languages, it would also by extension make it even more difficult for English speakers to learn a second (European) language if those linkages are removed.

Did you actually read his whole post? I'm surprised you couldn't see the bulge his tongue made in his cheek from all the way over there in Italy....

I did but I had the jitters and was writing on another thread at the same time and I wasn't concentrating properly. It was very late as well and I was knackered.

Seeing as how we're such lovely people over here in Canadianland, we'll forgive you your lack of concentration this once. Especially since you appear to have avoided any heinous crimes against spelling and grammar, despite your knackeredness

Amazing isnt it? Especially if you count the glasses of wine consumed as well as the tiredness factor

Thank you lovely people in Canadianland for your forgiveness. I'll try not to be so crass in the future.

Except when speaking to Canadians Why can`t they understand that privacy is what I call pr-eye-vacy?

[QUOTE=Lorna at Vicenza;8687667] You are right in this. You can only know how to pronounce those words if you have learned them by heart. This is not confined to English. I have had discussions in the past with my OH regarding masculine and feminine nouns in French. You can't guess at the gender of a noun because there are no rules. You pick it up as you go along. A good way to remember, apparently, is to attach the noun to an adjective.

[QUOTE=Souvy;8689209] As you say some things just have to be learned, which takes a bit of effort, and its not just English. Unfortunately, my guess would be that most of the 20% that fail to achieve a reasonable standard of literacy come from homes where the meaning of the word library isn't known never mind how to spell it. Formal teaching can only do so much if the family background just doesn't value learning.

It's called Irony. That's in the English language too. It's a simple word, but the concept is clearly lost on so many people.

Yes I know. Read on beyond that and you'll see I explained myself and apologised.