ABSTRACT
[Abstract: While Chapter 4 outlined the history of the English language, this chapter outlines a dozen major influences on the English spelling system, leading to the present-day state of affairs. It is shown that English spelling has never been regular, dating back to the use by Christian missionaries in the 6th century of the Latin alphabet to represent English. The timing of the Great Vowel Shift, and the advent of the printing press, led to many irregularities. Sixteenth century scholars introduced irregularities by relating spellings to their Latin and Greek origins, rather than their contemporary pronunciation.]
