--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Bett" <stbett@...> wrote:

> SB: The words "ale" and "day" would not be rewritten according to
> the 4 rules. Since this is not a phonemic writing system, I am not
> sure that it means that that every English speaker pronounces the
> vowel in these words the same any more than the present writing
> system implies this.

T.O. actually implies that they are pronounced differently! The 'i'
or 'y' of English -ai-/-ay typically corresponds to Old English 'g' or
(Old) French 'i'. I think the general merger of these sounds (with
the development of lengthened OE short 'a') actually dates to the
Great Vowel Shift.

Was 'wat' (in 'Wat goes for') a spelling mistake for 'wot'? It seemed
distinctly British (e.g. Norfolk - a Northwest accent would require
'what'). Incidentally, doesn't General American preserve the 'h'?

Richard.