The Movement to Standardize American English

‍1. The Origins of the Standardization Movement

The movement to standardize American English began in the late 19th century, when educators and linguists sought to create a uniform system for spelling and vocabulary. One of the most influential figures in this movement was Noah Webster, who published the American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. Webster was a proponent of American English and believed that it should be distinct from British English. He introduced many new spellings, such as "color" instead of "colour," "honor" instead of "honour," and "center" instead of "centre."

2. The Effort to Update American English

The movement to standardize American English gained momentum in the early 20th century, with the publication of several influential works. In 1906, the Simplified Spelling Board was founded, which aimed to introduce more phonetic spellings into American English. The Board was backed by prominent figures such as Andrew Carnegie, Theodore Roosevelt, and Mark Twain. They believed that simplifying spellings would make it easier for people to learn and use English.

3. Changes to Spellings and Vocabulary

One of the primary goals of the standardization movement was to simplify spellings. Many words were spelled differently in British English and American English, and the movement sought to create a uniform system for American English. This led to the introduction of several new spellings, such as "color" instead of "colour," "honor" instead of "honour," and "center" instead of "centre." Some letters were also replaced, such as "z" instead of "s" in words like "realize" and "analyze." In addition, the movement sought to simplify vocabulary by replacing more complex words with simpler ones. For example, "aeroplane" was replaced with "airplane," "jail" was used instead of "gaol," and "plow" was used instead of "plough."

4. Impact and Controversies of Standardization on American English Today

The movement to standardize American English had a significant impact on the language, and many of the spellings and vocabulary changes introduced during this time are still in use today. However, not all of the changes were successful, and some spellings and words have remained unchanged. Additionally, some linguists argue that standardization has led to a loss of regional diversity in American English.

The effort to update American English was not without controversy. Some people felt that it was unnecessary to change spellings and vocabulary, and that it would result in a loss of cultural identity. Others argued that the changes introduced were not radical enough, and that the language still had too many complexities.

5. Summary

In conclusion, the movement to standardize American English in the early 20th century had a significant impact on the language, particularly in terms of spelling and vocabulary. While many of the changes introduced during this time are still in use today, some argue that standardization has led to a loss of regional diversity in American English. Nonetheless, the efforts of key influential figures in this movement (such as Noah Webster) did set a unidirectional course of evolution for the American English dialect.