--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@...>
wrote:

> Steve Bett wrote:
> >
> > > Peter Daniels wrote:

> > One what basis do you conclude that Koren and French are less
> > phonemic than English?
>
> All languages are phonemic.
>
> And French is as legendary as English for its difficult spelling --
> which other languages have the institution of the "spelling bee"?

It is indeed difficult to spell in French!

Have you heard this little poem my mother taught me as a child?

Pie a haut nid
Quail a bas nid
Cuckoo n'a ni haut ni bas nid
Taupe a trou.

It sounds something like this.

pi a o ni, ky a bonni, cucoo na ni o ni bonni, tope a trou

" A magpie has a high nest a quail has a low nest, a cuckoo has
neither a high nor a low nest and a shrew(?) has a hole."

Suzanne