Basic English for the 21st Century
For the advocate of Basic the formula might run as follows:
As soon as an iregularity becomes unncecessary for purposed of idiomatic communication, that form or phrase can be abandoned; and as soon as any term becomes internationalized (as in the rapidly developing sciences) that term is then automatically added to the vocabulary of Basic.
Nor must it be forgotten that when once Basic is established as a universal linguistic foundation, its technique of expansion is chiefly the acquisition of further specific names; and since such names can be added at an average rate of one every two minutes, a few hundred addenda could at any time be acquired over the week-end. In other words, the time may not be far distant when Governments will initiate special Language Weeks to focus attention on the benefits accruing to a community through any extension of its power of communication with other communities; when the public prints will feature the year's most plausible guess at the next most useful word; and when philanthropists will get solace in their retiring years by watching Basic Institutes rise around them for the diffusion of defter definitions and dumpier dictionaries.
From "BASIC ENGLISH, A General Introduction with Rules and Grammar" by C. K. OGDEN
Projects
- Translation
- New Words
- Update Wordlists
- Compound Words
- Internet/ PC Wordlist
- Some Existing General Wordlists
Committees (and non-committees)
- Spelling non-committee
Spelling in 21st Century -- background
Simplified Spelling -- sensible spelling, 2007
Pronunciation Key -- Spelling Reform - as suggested by the Institute ?
Vavdak Spelling is completely phonetic, including accents, allowing a novice to learn the sounding of the words immediately.
An example of why Ogden avoided getting into the complexities of spelling reform.
Global English
Nu English -- Nu projekt, join nou as chartər membər. Dec 2011, very active
- Word Changes.
- English Reform.
Back to: Basic English Institute or Ogden's Basic English or Project Catalog
www.googlefight.com
About this Page: 21.html -- Projects and thoughts on creating updates to Basic
for the 21st Century.
Last updated : September 24, 2011 . add New English
January 21, 2007 . add Simplified Spelling.
September 16, 2005 . add suggestions list
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URL: http://www.basic-english.org/21/21.html