Short Stuff: Simple Spelling Movement

This episode of Short Stuff explores the history and challenges of simplifying English spelling, focusing on a 1906 initiative led by President Theodore Roosevelt and prominent figures like Mark Twain and Andrew Carnegie. The movement aimed to streamline English spelling through an executive order requiring federal documents to use simplified forms of 300 words, but it was met with widespread ridicule and political backlash, ultimately failing. The hosts discuss why English spelling is so inconsistent—highlighting examples like 'caught,' 'though,' and 'draft'—and explain how this complexity contributes to the unique American phenomenon of spelling bees. They also examine earlier efforts by Benjamin Franklin and Noah Webster, as well as later attempts in the 1970s by Edward Ronthaler, who believed simplified spelling could reduce illiteracy and even crime. Despite the appeal of phonetic clarity, the episode concludes that cultural resistance and the organic evolution of language have prevented major reforms, with functional illiteracy still affecting 21% of Americans. The hosts reflect on how people already simplify spelling in texting, but formal changes remain unlikely.