List of language reforms of English
Over the years, many people have called for language reform of the English language. Various types of reforms have been proposed.
Spelling reforms
Spelling reforms are attempts to regularise English spelling, whether by enforcing a regular set of rules, or by replacing the basic English alphabet with a new one. English spelling reforms include:
Using the basic English alphabet:
- Cut Spelling
- Parallel English
- Handbook of Simplified Spelling
- SoundSpel
- Spelling Reform step 1 (SR1)
- SaypU (Spell As You Pronounce Universally)
- Simpel-Fonetik method of writing
- Traditional Spelling Revised
Extending or replacing the basic English alphabet:
- Benjamin Franklin's phonetic alphabet
- Deseret alphabet
- Initial Teaching Alphabet
- Interspel
- Romic alphabet
- Shavian alphabet (revised version: Quikscript)
- Unifon
Subsets
Subsets are reforms that use a restricted wordlist and grammar. English subsets include:
- Attempto Controlled English
- Basic English
- E-Prime
- Globish
- Plain English
- Simplified English
- Special English
- Specialised English
Vocabulary reforms
Vocabulary reforms seek to reform English by changing or restricting its words without changing its grammar.
- Anglish: the use of native (Germanic) words only, and spellings of such without foreign influence—a form of linguistic purism