Few things have been under greater attack in the age of the personal computer and social media than the craft/art/discipline of spelling. In this age of texting and Twitter, where the economy of characters used has taken on great importance, it is not uncommon for the word “great” to be presented as “gr8.” And even when spelling matters, we can rely on spell-check.
The question emerges: Does spelling really matter? We can communicate language just fine without it.
One of the most persistent arguments used to make that case has been floating around the Internet for a dozen years or so, in one form or another.
One popular version goes like this:
“Aoccdrnig to rscheearch by the Lngiusiitc Dptanmeret at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it esaliy. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.”
If you have no difficulty deciphering the previous paragraph, you might be inclined to accept it as proof that spelling isn’t really all that important.
Yet there several flaws in this thinking, including the fact the research by the Linguistic Department of Cambridge University claimed in this statement never happened.
Of greater significance is that the statement proves the opposite of what it claims.
If you had no difficulty understanding that paragraph, what it really proves is that you are already an accomplished reader. You have mastered the ability to recognize letters, the sounds they make and their relation to one another. In other words, you are able to read that paragraph because you have learned to spell.
The correlation between spelling and reading comprehension is high because both depend on a common denominator: proficiency with language. Spelling often conveys meaning, which is why words such as “rain,” “rein” and “reign” are spelled differently.
If you are writing about the history of the British Monarchy and refer to the “rain of Henry VIII,” you have immediately lost some measure of credibility unless you are talking about the weather in 16th century England.
Beyond that, the discipline of spelling expands vocabulary.
Just this week, we saw a very good example of this at the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee.
Thursday morning, Dev Jaiswal, an eighth-grader at Winston Academy in Louisville, advanced to the 10-person finals of the competition, ultimately finished fourth in a field of 283 who made it to the finals. This year, more than 11 million children participated in the contest’s regional spelling bee competition.
Before the finals, Jaiswal was interviewed about his experiences in the contest.
Asked what it was like to spell a word correctly in the competition, Jaiswal described it as “exhilarating.” He said the main emotion he felt on the stage as he waited for his next spelling word was “anxiety.”
These are not typically part of your average eighth-grader’s vocabulary.
Jaiswal is not merely a good speller, we see. He also has a command of the language that far surpasses his peers. He has an advantage of his classmates that will likely persist throughout his academic career.
Spelling does matter, because it expands the vocabulary in much the same way that an artist benefits from a large palette of colors from which to choose.
For all his brilliance, Vincent van Gogh could never have painted “Sunflowers” with a palette of only blue and red paint. He would have had to settle for “Grapes” or “Roses” or “Blueberries.”
Likewise, those who do not collect for themselves a large palette of words, developed through the discipline of spelling, limit their potential. They are more likely to spend their lives stacking pallets at the loading dock, which is certain to leave a bitter taste in the palate.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.