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



Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes to make English spelling more intuitive and less irregular. One example of its messiness: take the “gh” sound from “enough,” the “o” sound from “women” and the “ti” sound from “action,” and you could argue that “ghoti” 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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Animator's website: https://www.emilyhowells.com and https://aaronbrady.uk


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