I think I remember learning that it was to save on printing (newspapers, etc.), but I haven’t fact checked that.
Comment on In celebration of Independence Day
Lightfire228@pawb.social 2 months ago
IIRC, it was actually Webster, who was writing the dictionary, decided to simplify spelling
A large amount of spelling differences between the US and UK like mould/mold and center/center, are due to him
ObsidianZed@lemmy.world 2 months ago
fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 2 months ago
I was under the impression it was partially due to him feeling the ‘U’ made the words feel “too French”, and he supposedly really hated the French (apparently he was a bit of a fan of the ol’ racism), but mainly he wanted something new and uniquely American - and English spelling was a even more regional, wild and inconsistent back then, so he hoped to simplify it, bring it some consistency, ideally whilst also telling the French to piss off.
sparkle@lemm.ee 2 months ago
French: single-handedly turn the US into an independent country
Washington and Webster: “fuck you you pricks”
French: :(
uienia@lemmy.world 2 months ago
That is a myth. Nothing to do with that, this was purely Webster.
FireTower@lemmy.world 2 months ago
I like most of the changes he did but he really should have kept the original with this one.
Lightfire228@pawb.social 2 months ago
Darn autocorrect
I usually have it disabled, but I’ve been too lazy with the new phone