u/KahnaKuhl

Many people have a negative gut response to the use of Ə in English spelling reforms. It's a crazy reaction, really, considering that Ə is the most common vowel in spoken English.

My strident contention is that any spelling reform worth its salt has to account for Ə. The current iteration of my Regùler İŋglish system relies on a three-part solution: U, Er and 'dropped Ə.'

• For single-syllable words, U denotes ʌ (?) - up, brunt, tuf - unless the Ə is followed by R, in which case it is denoted by Er - erth, fern, berd, bern. (For clarity, ɛr is denoted by Err - errer, berrie.)
• For multi-syllable words, U denotes Ə - upreeshiaet, suspishn, recugnyz - unless it is followed by a double consonant, in which case, U reverts to ʌ - utter, luvviŋ, unnkynd.
• Where the U(Ə) can be eliminated without causing confusion, it is 'dropped' - cnect (not cunect), tripl (not tripul), peesz (not peesuz).
• (Note that Ue, Ù and Ü each represent other phonemes, bluez, ùnuform and püsh, respectively, and that a terminal U denotes Ue.)

So, İ wil prudùs dh rekwyerd sampl in order tu demunstraet hao dh U=Ə sistm wercs in practus. Hapulie, it ternz aot, ucaezhnz weir their iz a need for dubbl consununts ar les dhan Ù myt thiŋc. Sum werdz, such az 'unnùzhùul,' taek a bit ov getiŋ ùsd tu, no daot, but it's umaeziŋ hao ëzulie it beginz tu flo, wuns Ù spend a bit ov tym reediŋ and rytiŋ widh dhis sistm.

Hot tips? Sjeschunz?

We’ve seen some threats to the constitutional principle of free political communication in recent years. Qld has banned From the river to the sea, NSW has banned swastikas and the Nazi salute, Qld has banned outlaw bikie patches and colours, NSW has banned prayer outside abortion clinics, NSW tried banning protests at certain times and locations, and has increased penalties for certain protest activities.

And now we have people booing at Anzac Welcome to Country speeches.

So here’s my question: If you think the Anzac booers deserve a thumbs-up, but the pro-Palestine protesters are idiots; or you think blockading the Newcastle coal port is admirable, but people who make Nazi salutes are disgusting, where would you suggest that the legal line should be drawn in a country that values a diversity of political expression?