What is orthography?
Q: What is orthography?
A: Orthography refers to the official or correct way of writing a particular language, including rules of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and diacritics.
Q: Why is spelling a problem for all English learners?
A: Spelling is a problem for all English learners because the English language has many irregular spellings which do not follow consistent rules.
Q: Do all languages have an authority to decide the correct spelling?
A: No, not all languages have an authority to decide the correct spelling. Some languages have a governing body, such as the Académie française, to decide on spelling, but English does not.
Q: Who decided on English orthography?
A: English orthography was the work of the early printers who had to decide how particular words would be spelled in their books.
Q: How did the number of alternative spellings drop in English over time?
A: The number of alternative spellings in English dropped gradually as early printers made decisions on how to spell words, and more consistent spellings became widely used.
Q: How many ways was the word "merry" spelled in written sources from the 9th to the 16th century?
A: The word "merry" was spelled in about 30 ways in written sources from the 9th to the 16th century.
Q: What other rules can be included in orthography besides spelling?
A: Orthography can also include rules about punctuation, capitalization, and diacritics (e.g. accents).
