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When you get frustrated at your child’s spelling…

Just tell yourself they’re being Elizabethan. Rather fluid and weird spelling is in evidence in e.g. the letters of William Herle, passing intelligence back to Elizabeth’s court.

A Tudor remark that Katy passed on after the Kentwell open day (something like): Unfortunate the man who can only spell his name one way. Bob. Bobb. Bobbe (not pronounced Bobby, thank you). Qkbob (silent Q and k).

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3 Responses to “When you get frustrated at your child’s spelling…”

  1. Dave Holland Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    “Bob, short for Kate”?

  2. Michelle Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    I was googling (to save typing) the expression breakdown ghote spells fish.

    And found (ignoring the Americanism):

    How to spell “potato”

    If GH can stand for P as in Hiccough
    If OUGH can stand for O as in Dough
    If PHTH can stand for T as in Phthisis
    If EIGH can stand for A as in Neighbor
    If TTE can stand for T as in Gazette
    If EAU can stand for O as in Plateau

    Then the right way to spell POTATO should be:

    GHOUGHPHTHEIGHTTEEAU

    Similarly

    ghote = fish

    gh = f in laugh
    o = i in women
    t = sh in nation
    e is silent

  3. Evil Susan Says:
    May 16th, 2008 at 5:48 pm

    Baub, Bahb, Bawb, Bhob… and if you have the british accent which silences any R after a vowel… Barb.

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