Rational Spelling was a system proposed by Dr. W. Gassner in Sydney in 1955.
The design of Rational Spelling was similar to that of New Spelling. Long vowels were indicated by letter combinations, but the combinations were different from those of New Spelling. Long 'a' was written 'ai' as in 'mait' (mate). Long 'e' was written 'ee' as in 'seen'; long 'i' was written 'ui' as in 'luin' (line); long 'o' was written 'oa' as in 'boat' and 'foan' (phone); long 'u' was written 'uu' as in 'suup' (soup) and 'ruul' (rule). But when a long 'u' sound begins with a 'y' sound it was spelt 'eu' as in 'teun' (tune), euth (youth). However in unstressed syllables or where the 'y' sound is less pronounced the 'u' sound is spelt 'ue' - as in okuepuy (occupy), regueler (regular).
Other symbols include 'aa' as in faather (father) - but 'ar' as in farm (where the ‘r’ is sounded). Also 'au' as in daun (dawn) - but 'or' as in port (again, where the ‘r’ is sounded). Other symbols included 'oo' as in good; 'ir' as in hir (her); ou as in hous (house); 'oi' as in boil; 'eer' as in beer; 'air' as in fair; 'dh' for voiced 'th' as in dhe (the); 's' for the 's' sound; 'z' for the 'z' sound; 'k' for the 'k' sound; 'sh' for ths 'sh' sound; and 'zh' for the sound as in plezher (pleasure).
The unstressed vowel such as the 'o' in 'carrot' was handled rather strangely. Mostly it was to be spelt with an 'a' as in carat (carrot), methad (method). But when followed by 'r' it was to be spelt with an 'e', as in river, leter (letter). In order to allow 'a' to represent the unstressed vowel in this way, it was necessary for short, unstressed 'a' to be spelt 'ae' as in kidnaep (kidnap), sintaeks (sintax).
Rational Spelling used a special list of nine letters to be used at the ends of words. These are 'y' for the 'i' sound as in muny (money); aw for 'au' as in paw; uw for 'uu' as in truw (true); 'ay' for 'ai' as in day; oe for 'oa' as in foe, goe (go); uy for ui as in tuy (tie); ow for ou as in cow; oy for oi as in boy; and ew for eu as in few. For plurals and the past tense these endings were retained - but not other endings. So there was kopyz (copies); but kopiing (copying).
Here is a sample of Rational Spelling:
Tuu bea or not tuu bea, dhat iz dhe kweschan;
Whedther ‘tiz noabler in dhe muind tuu sufer
Dhe slingz and aroez ov owtrajas forchan,
Or tuu taik armz aggenst a sea ov trublz,
And bui oepoazing end dhem?
Perhaps the main criticism that could be levelled at Rational Spelling is that
it is too pedantic. When it has been learnt properly the reader can always tell
exactly how a word is pronounced. But this pedantic nature of the system meant
that the changes from traditional spelling were too drastic and unpalatable.
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