Explore the evolution of English spelling conventions throughout history, and find out why it's such an inconsistent language.

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Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes to make English spelling more intuitive and less irregular. One example of its messiness: take the “g-h” sound from “enough,” the “o” sound from “women” and the “t-i” sound from “action,” and you could argue that “g-h-o-t-i” spells “fish.” So, how did English get like this? Arika Okrent explores the complexity of English spelling conventions.

Lesson by Arika Okrent, directed by Emily Howells, Aaron Brady.

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View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why....-don-t-tough-and-dou
Dig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why....-don-t-tough-and-dou/digdeeper

Animator's website: https://www.emilyhowells.com and https://aaronbrady.uk
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