Difficulty With Spelling in English

* “Spelling Trouble for Many of Us,” April 16: Ach Du Lieber! Are you trying to tell us that Albert Einstein spelled poorly in his native language, German? If so, your point is a valid one (especially since the only thing easy about the German language is its spelling). If, however, you are referring to his spelling in English, your point is, well, pointless. The poor man was in his 50s when he moved to the U.S., after having spent his entire life in Germany, Switzerland and other parts of Europe. Do you honestly expect someone at that age to become an expert speller in the most ridiculously put-together language in the Western world, English?

As a “Valley girl” who has spoken, written and read German, Spanish and French my entire life, and who deals with foreign-born adults on an almost daily basis, I can assure you that it is one thing to speak English well; it is another thing entirely to spell it. Just as difficult as spelling it is pronouncing the written word when reading from a text. I have known countless foreign-born people who speak virtually without an accent, yet hand them a document to read aloud and their pronunciation skills take a nose dive. Why? Well, golly gee, could it have anything to do with English spelling versus its pronunciation? You all know this one: though, through, trough, rough. Need I say more?

Now, leave poor Herr Doktor Einstein out of this debate. Pleeze.

KRISTENE WALLIS BURR

Valley Village

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Forgive me, but I cannot be quiet on this one. Spelling, like handwriting, has nothing to do with intelligence. They both are simply a matter of attitude and habit, and are easily remedied. Homonyms such as “their,” “there” and “they’re” are not spelling errors. The writer is simply using the wrong word.

To blame the difficulty of the language or spell check is an excuse for lazy habits. If the worst error that a person makes when writing is a spelling error, then that is the worst possible error he or she could make.

Stop it! Children don’t do what we say; they do what we do. I say this from the heart of a very tired English teacher.

DOREEN LORAND

Downey