Ursprache

As many readers know, I am a horrible speller [and proofreader]. My wife is terrific at both. But I have to brag that, last night when I was watching the National Spelling Bee with her, I got the final word and the word that caused the Canadian girl to lose (Weltschmerz) spelled right the first time (and she didn't).

No, I didn't suddenly become a speller, I had an edge in that they are simple German words. Ursprache means "mother tongue" Ur means original, beginning, first, etc. and Sprache means language. Welt means world and Schmerz means pain or hurt. Now Weltanschuung (ones perspective, literally world outlook), that would have been a tough spell or Danauschifffahrer. That's right 3 F's: 2 for Schiff (ship) and one for Fahrer (driver). I can spell in German much better than I can in English because German has very consistent rules.

Whereas, English has absorbed words from all over the world and those word's spelling systems. Most people don't use many Hawaiian words that they used in last night's Bee but most of use routinely do use stupid French-spelled words, like bureau. Do you know how long it takes me to spell those words? I shouldn't have to learn French and Latin to know how to spell in English.

German has complex grammar; Chinese has complex writing; and English has complex spelling (for every rule their is an exception, and there is often an exception to the exception [like "I before E, except after C."]). Each language has its drawbacks, no language is fundamentally harder or better than the other. But we can all complain, and we can all marvel at 10-13 year olds who can spell words they have never heard of in their lives.