Simplifications

Simplifications

The primary goals:

  • reduce letter count

  • reduce spelling & letter-sound exceptions

  • reduce vowel complexity

Double letter simplifications

  • Almost all double letters in English spelling serve for pronunciation effects, such as retaining checked vowels, and implying position of syllable stress. This is no longer necessary with NewEng, which marks vowel quality and syllable stress.

  • ck → k

    • The ck functions the same as a doubled consonant.

    • The k is also to prevent e/i/y from changing the c into a /s/.

    • Keep the k only.

Consonant digraphs

We replace all digraphs with single letters. This is the reason for adding new letters to the alphabet.

  • ch → ч -- English digraph as /ʧ/

  • ch → ч̌ -- French digraph as /ʃ/

  • ch → ʞ -- Greek-root digraph as /k~x/

  • ch → ʞ̌ -- French digraph as /ʃ/ from Greek as /k/

  • gh → ȝ -- digraph as /◌~ɣ/

  • gh → ȝ̌ -- digraph as /f~ɸ/

  • gh → ȝ̊ -- digraph as /ɡ/ (actually I think this never exists)

  • gn → ȝn -- digraph as /◌~ɣ/+/n/

  • gn → ȝ̊n -- non-digraph as /ɡn/ showing relation to /ɣn/

  • ny → и -- Spanish-root digraph as /ɲ/

  • ñ → и -- Spanish monograph as /ɲ/

  • ng → ŋ -- English digraph as /ŋ/

  • ng → ŋg -- English digraph as /ŋɡ/ (deficient)

  • ng → nǧ -- English digraph as /nʤ/ (deficient) [consider ⟨nj⟩]

  • ph → φ -- Greek-root digraph as /f/

  • sh → ʃ -- English digraph as /ʃ/

  • th → þ -- English digraph as /θ/

  • th → ð -- English digraph as /ð/

  • wh → ƕ -- English digraph as /w~ʍ/

Consonant digraphs are explored further in Respelling of Consonants

Respelling of Consonants

Vowel digraphs (simple ones)

  • ae → æ

  • oe → œ

  • oo → ꝏ

  • ou → ȣ -- (not as /aw/)

Vowel digraphs are explored further in Respelling of Vowels

Respelling of Vowels

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