Don't surrender to text spelling, plead experts

A call to simplify English spelling and abolish the apostrophe to avoid wasting time at school immediately ran into opposition today.

John Wells, Emeritus Professor at University College London and president of the Spelling Society, suggested that a phonetic approach and the language of text messaging and the internet should be used instead of the wide range of spelling complexities children currently memorise.

He said academics and teachers have long been divided over how strictly the English language should be preserved-University examiners have said that even bright A-level students misspell common words, and employers have had to adopt a "three strikes and you're out" rule, in which candidates are allowed two spelling errors in job applications before being rejected.

Professor Wells called for greater freedom to allow phonetic spellings. He told The Times: "It seems highly likely that one of the reasons Britain and other English-speaking countries have problems with literacy is because of our spelling. In Finnish, once you have learned the letters, you know how to spell. With English it's not phonetic, and there are so many irregularities. Lots of other things are neglected in class because so much time is spent on spelling."

Learning how to use the apostrophe was also a waste of time. The apostrophe should simply be left out, with "it's" becoming "its", or replaced with a space, so "we'll" would be written "we ll". "Text messaging, email and internet chat rooms are showing us the way forward for English," he said. But Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, condemned the " ridiculous" idea. "Teachers have taught English spelling for years to a high standard. If some can do it there's no reason why they all shouldn't do it," he said.

He dismissed the idea that schools should teach text-speak as a "surrender to youthful fashions" that will "lead to a general deterioration of standards".

Elaine Higgleton, editorial director of Collins Language, said the problem with a phonetic approach would lie with deciding whose pronunciation to base it on. "Would we continue spelling the word 'think' with a 'th' or would it be spelled 'fink' as it is in the East End or 'tink' as in Ireland?" she said.

Edward Fennell, trustee of the English Project, a scheme dedicated to the history and evolution of the English language, said: "The English language is fluid and flexible. Text speak is the perfect example of an organic development within it." Ian McNeilly, from the National Association for the Teaching of English, said: "Language changes of its own accord and inevitably texting, chatrooms and new media will have an affect.

"However, I am concerned by any suggestion that the apostrophe is meaningless. I do not think the traditionalists should run up the white flag of surrender just yet."