The Orthogonal Bet Gabe Henry on "Enough is Enuf"
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Jul 23, 2025 Gabe Henry, a writer and author of "Enough is Enuf," dives into the quirks of English spelling and its tumultuous history with simplification. He discusses notable figures like Benjamin Franklin and Noah Webster who aimed to reform English orthography. The conversation reveals the humor and challenges in spelling norms, the impact of technology on language evolution, and even explores playful approaches like emojis in writing. Henry and Samuel Arbesman debate whether spelling reform is a noble cause or just a slippery slope.
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Gabe's Personal Spelling Struggles
- Gabe Henry struggled with English spelling despite being a good speller.
- This personal challenge sparked his interest in the history of spelling simplification movements.
English's Irregularity Explained
- English is highly irregular due to centuries of invasions and linguistic melding.
- Unlike other languages, English is an extreme outlier in spelling inconsistency.
Early Spelling Reformers' Efforts
- Benjamin Franklin proposed removing letters and phonetic spelling but abandoned it due to criticism.
- Noah Webster pushed for simplified American English spelling, influencing many accepted changes today.
