This page is a rather informal set of notes on
Wijk's Regularized English respelling system, based on his 1959 book of
the
same name. For simplicity sake, I have not paid much attention to
British English here. Where British and American pronunciations
differ, you should assume this page relates only to the American
pronunciation, unless otherwise noted.
All of the following is as I understand it. Misunderstandings and
other errors are very possible!
Symbols in brackets are SAMPA. (Yes, they should be in
slashes. Sue me!)
Words whose correct pronunciation can't be determined from the rules
below should be respelled. Words are not respelled solely to make
the spelling more logical.
Except, unassimilated foreign words are not respelled. Proper
names might not be respelled.
Except, apparent digraphs might occasionally be pronounced as their
normal sequence of letters (create,
mishap).
Except, words may be respelled even if their current spelling is
correct if they are a homonym of a more common word which "needs" the
more natural spelling.
A word should be respelled minimally, to maximize resemblance to its
familiar spelling.
Words whose pronunciations vary may have multiple spellings if they are
not too common. Alternately, the spelling may cater to the more
usual pronunciation or to the pronunciation most similar to related
words.
Effort is made to keep homonyms distinct. Occasionally, new
homonyms may be created, e.g., mold
(shape) vs. moald (fungus).
Silent e:
Often, a double consonant indicates the previous vowel is
short. Words are not respelled simply to change doubling, but
when a word is respelled for some other reason, double consonants may
be added or removed as well.
Some distinctions just aren't made, e.g. [ks] vs. [gz] for x, [ju:] vs
[u:] for long u, [N] vs. [Ng] for ng.
Spellings marked with a * are kept, but are not an integral part
of the system.
a - [eI] long
a - [I] unstressed, especially
-ace, -age, -ate
a - [{] short
a - [@] unstressed
aa - [A] not after w, wh or qu
ae - [eI] *
aer - [Er] *
ah - [A] * final
ai - [eI]
aigh - [eI]
air - [Er]
ar - [Ar] final or before C
ar - [Er] before V or silent e
ar - [{r] before V or double r
ar - [@r] unstressed
au - [O:]
augh - [O:]
aur - [Or]
aw - [O:]
ay - [eI]
ayr - [Er]
b(b) - [b]
c - [k] before a, o, u, terminal
c - [s] before e, i, y
cc - [k] before a, o, u
cc - [ks] before e, i, y
ce - [S] unstressed before vowel
ch - [tS]
ci - [S] unstressed before vowel
d(d) - [d]
d - [dZ] occasionally before i or
(e)u
dg - [dZ] before e, i, y
dh - [D] medial/final
e - [E] short
e - [i:] long
e - [I] unstressed
e - [@] unstressed
ea - [i:]
ear - [Ir]
eau - [oU] *
ee - [i:]
eer - [Ir]
ei - [eI]
eigh - [eI]
eir - [Er]
er - [Er] before V or double r
er - [Ir] before V or silent e
er - [3`] final or before C
er - [@r] unstressed
eu - [ju:]
eu - [u:]
eur - [ju:r]
eur - [u:r]
ew - [ju:]
ew - [u:]
ew(e)r - [ju:r]
ew(e)r - [u:r]
ey - [eI]
ey - [I] unstressed terminal
eyr - [Er]
f(f) - [f]
g - [dZ] often before e, i, y
g(g) - [g] before a, o, u,
usually initially before i, sometimes before e, i, y
g - [Z] before silent e, French
loan words
gn - [n] * initial
gu - [g] initial before e, i, y
h - [] * silent between vowels
h - [h]
i - [aI] long
i - [I] short
i - [@] unstressed
iar - [aIr] *
ie - [aI] final
ie - [i:] medial
ie - [I] unstressed, inflected -y
ier - [aIr] * comparatives
ier - [Ir]
igh - [aI]
ior - [aIr] *
ir - [aIr] before V or silent e
ir - [Ir] before V or double r
ir - [3`] before C or final
ir - [@r] unstressed
j - [dZ]
(c)k - [k]
kn - [n] initial
l(l) - [l]
le - [@l] final
m(m) - [m]
m - [@m] final after z
n(n) - [n]
ng - [ndZ] before e, i, y
ng - [N]
ng - [Ng] before a, o, u
nk - [Nk]
o - [A] short (American)
o - [oU] long
o - [O:] * pronounced ambiguously
with [A/Q]
o - [Q] short (British)
o - [@] unstressed
oa - [oU]
oar - [Or]
oe - [oU]
oi - [OI]
oo - [u:] silent e often required
oo - [U]
oor - [Ur]
or - [Or]
or - [@r] unstressed
ou - [aU]
ou - [@] unstressed -ous
ough - [aU]
our - [aUr]
our - [@r] unstressed -our
ow - [aU]
owr - [aUr]
oy - [OI]
p(p) - [p]
ps - [s] * pseudo- and psyc-
(c)qu - [kw]
r(r) - [r]
re - [@r] final
s - [s]
s - [S] occasionally before u
unstressed
s - [z] in plurals and possessives
sc - [s] before e, i, y
se - [S] unstressed before vowel
sh - [S]
si - [S] unstressed before vowel
ss - [s]
ss - [S] occasionally before u
unstressed
ssi - [S] unstressed before vowel
t - [] * silent in -et from French
t - [] silent in -sten, -stle
t(t) - [t]
t - [tS] sometimes before u
unstressed
tch - [tS]
th - [D] initial in structure
words
th - [T]
ti - [S] unstressed before vowel
u - [ju:] long
u - [u:] long
u - [V] short
u - [@] unstressed
ue - [ju:]
ue - [u:]
uer - [ju:r]
uer - [u:r]
ui - [ju:]
ui - [u:]
ur - [ju:r]
ur - [u:r] before V or silent e
ur - [3`] before C, final or
double r
ur - [@r] unstressed
ure - [@r] final unstressed
v(v) - [v]
w - [w]
wh - [W]
wr - [r]
x - [gz]
x - [ks]
x - [z] * initial
y - [aI] long
y - [I] short
y - [j]
ye - [aI] final
yr - [aIr] before V or silent e
yr - [Ir] before V (or double r?)
yr - [3`] before C or final
yr - [@r] unstressed
z(z) - [z]
z - [Z] sometimes before u
unstressed
zi - [Z] unstressed before vowel
[] * - h silent between vowels
[] * - t silent in -et from French
[] - t silent in -sten, -stle
[aI] - i long
[aI] - ie final
[aI] - igh
[aI] - y long
[aI] - ye final
[aIr] * - iar
[aIr] * - ier comparatives
[aIr] * - ior
[aIr] - ir before V or silent e
[aIr] - yr before V or silent e
[aU] - ou
[aU] - ough
[aU] - ow
[aUr] - our
[aUr] - owr
[A] - aa not after w, wh or qu
[A] * - ah final
[A] - o short (American)
[Ar] - ar final or before C
[b] - b(b)
[d] - d(d)
[dZ] - d occasionally before i or
e(u)
[dZ] - dg before e, i, y
[dZ] - g often before e, i, y
[dZ] - j
[D] - dh medial/final
[D] - th initial in structure
words
[eI] - a long
[eI] * - ae
[eI] - ai
[eI] - aigh
[eI] - ay
[eI]
- ei
[eI] - eigh
[eI] - ey
[E] - e short
[Er] * - aer
[Er] - air
[Er] - ar before V or silent e
[Er] - ayr
[Er] - eir
[Er] - er before V or double r
[Er] - eyr
[f] - f(f)
[g] - g(g) before a, o, u,
usually initially before i, sometimes before e, i, y
[g] - gu initial before e, i, y
[gz] - x
[h] - h
[i:] - e long
[i:] - ea
[i:] - ee
[i:] - ie medial
[I] - any vowel (usually -ace,
-age, -ate, e), unstressed
[I] - ey unstressed terminal
[I] - i short
[I] - ie unstressed, inflected -y
[I] - y short
[Ir] - ear
[Ir] - eer
[Ir] - er before V or silent e
[Ir] - ier
[Ir] - ir before V or double r
[Ir] - yr before V (or double r?)
[j] - y
[ju:] - eu
[ju:] - ew
[ju:] - u long
[ju:] - ue
[ju:] - ui
[ju:r] - eur
[ju:r] - ew(e)r
[ju:r] - uer
[ju:r] - ur before V or silent e
[k] - c before a, o, u, terminal
[k] - cc before a, o, u
[k] - (c)k
[ks] - cc before e, i, y
[ks] - x
[kw] - (c)qu
[l] - l(l)
[m] - m(m)
[n] * - gn initial
[n] - kn initial
[n] - n(n)
[ndZ] - ng before e, i, y
[N] - ng
[Ng] - ng before a, o, u
[Nk] - nk
[oU] * - eau
[oU] - o long
[oU] - oa
[oU] - oe
[O:] - au
[O:] - augh
[O:] - aw
[O:] * - o pronounced ambiguously
with [A/Q]
[OI] - oi
[OI] - oy
[Or] - aur
[Or] - oar
[Or] - or
[p] - p(p)
[Q] - o short (British)
[r] - r(r)
[r] - wr
[s] - c before e, i, y
[s] * - ps pseudo- and psyc-
[s] - s
[s] - sc before e, i, y
[s] - ss
[S] - ce unstressed before vowel
[S] - ci unstressed before vowel
[S] - s occasionally before u
unstressed
[S] - se unstressed before vowel
[S] - sh
[S] - si unstressed before vowel
[S] - ss occasionally before u
unstressed
[S] - ssi unstressed before vowel
[S] - ti unstressed before vowel
[t] - t(t)
[tS] - ch
[tS] - t sometimes before u
unstressed
[tS] - tch
[T] - th
[u:] - eu
[u:] - ew
[u:] - oo silent e often required
[u:] - u long
[u:] - ui
[u:r] - eur
[u:r] - ew(e)r
[u:r] - uer
[u:r] - ur before V or silent e
[U] - oo
[Ur] - oor
[v] - v(v)
[V] - u short
[w] - w
[W] - wh
[z] - s in plurals and possessives
[z] * - x initial
[z] - z(z)
[Z] - g before silent e, French
loan words
[Z] - z sometimes before u
unstressed
[Z] - zi unstressed before vowel
[{] - a short
[{r] - ar before V or double r
[3`] - er final or before C
[3`] - ir final or before C
[3`] - ur final, before C or
double r
[3`] - yr final or before C
[@] - any vowel
[@] - ou in -ous
[@l] - any vowel + l
[@l] - le final
[@m] - any vowel + m
[@m] - m final following z
[@n] - any vowel + n
[@r] - any vowel + r
[@r] - our final unstressed
[@r] - re final
[@r] - ure final unstressed
a to aa, au or o:
faadher,
garaage, aul,
wauk, quolity, wonton
ar to or:
quorrel,
quorter, whorf
bad silent e dropped:
promis, minut,
-at, -iv
ch to c/k:
ake, Cristmas,
monark,
skeme
ea to e:
brest, deth,
jellous,
trezure, weppon
ed to t or d in past tense:
helpt, presst,
raind,
traveld
ei to ee:
ceeling,
receev, seezure
i to ie:
mashien,
poliece,
swiet, uniec
loss of silent letters:
cassle, collum,
dout,
iland, neumonia, onnest, sord
o to oo:
looze, moove,
toome
o to u:
brudher, frunt,
hunney,
luv, stummac
ou to oo:
coopon, groope,
rooge,
yoothe
ough repaired:
aultho, enuff,
thaught,
thru, thurro
ow to oe:
arroe, groeth,
swolloe,
throe
ph to f:
fotograf,
fraze,
fyzical, sfere
que to c/k:
antiec,
etikette,
licor, opake
s to z:
cauze, eazy,
rezult,
vizit
si,su to zi,zu:
divizion,
plezure
silent e added:
goste, kinde,
moone,
wilde
th to dh:
breadhe,
gadher,
nordhern
u to oo:
boosh, pooll, poodding
unstressed digraphs fixed:
capten, forfet,
forren,
portret
any |
eny |
are |
ar |
as |
az |
could |
cood |
do |
doo |
does |
duz |
doesn't |
duzn't |
done |
dun |
don't |
doen't |
has |
haz |
have |
hav |
his |
hiz |
is |
iz |
isn't |
izn't |
it's |
it'z |
many |
meny |
of |
ov |
once |
wunce |
one |
wun |
ought |
aught |
should |
shood |
some |
sum |
there |
thare |
these |
theze |
those |
thoze |
though |
tho |
was |
woz |
wasn't |
wozn't |
were |
wer |
what |
whot |
where |
whare |
who |
hoo |
whom |
hoome |
whose |
hooze |
with |
widh |
won't |
woen't |
would |
wood |
wouldn't |
woodn't |
you |
yoo |
your |
yoor |
you're |
yoo'r |
yours |
yoorz |
A list of about 1400 common words and their respellings in (American)
Regularized English, extracted from the Appendices of Wijk's book, can
be downloaded here.
Foarscore and seven
years ago our faadhers braught forth on this continent a new nation,
conceevd in liberty, and dedicated to the propozition that aul men ar
created equol.
Now we ar engaged in a greit civil wor, testing whedher that nation, or eny nation so conceevd and so dedicated, can long endure. We ar met on a greit battle-field ov that wor. We hav cum to dedicate a portion ov that field az a final resting-place for thoze hoo here gave their lives that that nation might liv. It iz aultogedher fitting and proper that we shood doo this.
But in a larger
sense, we cannot dedicate - we cannot consecrate - we cannot halloe -
this ground. The brave men, living and ded, hoo struggled here,
hav consecrated it far abuv our poor power to add or detract. The
wurld will little note nor long remember whot we say here, but it can
never forget whot they did here. It iz for us, the living, radher
to be dedicated here to the unfinisht wurk which they hoo faught here
hav thus far so nobly advanced. It iz radher for us to be here
dedicated to the greit task remaining before us - that from theze
onnord ded we take increased devotion to that cauze for which they gave
the last fooll mezure ov devotion; that we here highly rezolv that
theze
ded shall not hav died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall hav
a new birth ov freedom; and that guvernment ov the peeple, by the
peeple, for the peeple, shall not perish from the erth.
And wun thing after anudher,
Woz whisperd out ov the air,
How God woz a big, kinde brudher
Hooze home iz in everywhare.
Hiz light like a
smile cums glancing
Thru the coole, coole winds az they pass,
From the flowers in Heven dancing
To the stars that shine in the grass.
From the clouds in
deep blue wreadhing
And moste from the mountens taul,
But God like a wind goes breadhing
A dream ov Himself in aul.
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