This page contains five versions of a story by Bob Boden called "The Late Arrival".  The story is shown transcribed in Wijk's Regularized English (WRE), Pete Boardman's MORE (Majic-e Oanly RITE), Bob Boden's SRS (Simplified ReSpell), and Alan Beale's DRE (Diacritically Regularized English).  The fifth version is also in DRE, but has been simplified by the removal of diacritics from words where they are unnecessary for the reader familiar with written English.  Because DRE is in some ways a blend of WRE and SRS, there are many similarities between the DRE texts and the others.


All of these systems are respelling systems, that is, they modify existing traditional spelling to make pronunciation of words more obvious, and to remove some of the obvious defects of the standard orthography, but they do not make spelling perfectly obvious or systematic.  Because of their resemblance to traditional spelling, they may be more attractive to "the man in the street" than more logical or more phonemic systems.


WRE

The Late Arrival


Bob strolld up the path.  He woz late and woz considering hiz alibi.  He lissened to the udher cars in the street, hedding home.  The dog, widh paw raized, greeted him at the dor.  Molly cood aulways tell when he arrived.  She woz a faithful creature, and the sensitivity ov that noze woz not a myth.  The house woz quiet.  He lookt down at the vinyl tile.  It cood stand sum polish but he wood rezist the impulse to complain.

He saw hiz faadher in the garden near the fence but didn't bodher to caul him.  He woz obviously preparing to moe the lawn.  He cood see the neighbor's cow in the meddoe and the dense woods beyond.  It seemd a trivial matter but he aulways lookt to see if thare woz enything on the kitchen table.  Hiz wife might write a note.  Thare woz a new novel thare, probably herz.  It had a peculiar symbol on the cuver.  The title sed sumthing about neurons.  He didn't knoe whot that woz about but simply didn't care.

He decided to remoove the label now from the package he woz carrying.  He hoped that Myrtle wood not harras him about the cost ov the new fur coat he had baught her.  He had a fairly good reply.  At least it woz paid for.  And the first ov the year woz aulmoste here and the air woz cold.

He found the paper partly open, over a chair.  It had raind in the morning.  The paper offen got wet.  He turnd the radio on but didn't care for the singing.

He red about the cyclone which had aulmoste hit the civic center.  The sky had lookt threttening.  He gave a sigh.  Thare wood hav been the devil to pay if the storm had been wurse.  The knolledge made him wince.  He thaught, "We ar so helpless in the face ov bad weadher."  He gave sum thaught to solar power, but clung to hiz uzual rigor, which ment discussing this widh hiz wife before making a decizion.  She expected this consideration.  He had been thinking about emergency power and had an idea.  Sum meazure ov action might be prudent.



MORE

The Late Arrivel


Bob stroled up the path. He was late and was considdering his alibie. He lissend tu the other cars in the street, heding home. The dog, with paw raisd, greeted him at the door. Molly cuhd allways tel when he arrived. She was a faithfull creachur and the sensitivity of that noze was not a mith. The howse was kwiet. He luhkd down at the vinel tile. It cuhd stand som polish but he wuhd resist the impulse tu complain.


He saw his fahther in the garden, near the fense, but didn’t bother tu call him. He was obveusly prepareng tu mo the lawn. He cuhd see the naibors cow in the medo and the dense wuhds beyond. It seemd a trivyal matter, but he allways luhkd tu see if thare was anything on the kichen tabel. His wife miet rite a note. Thare was a new noval thare, probably hers. It had a peculear simbol on the covver. The titel sed somthing abowt neurons. He didn’t noe what that was abowt, but simply didn’t care.

He desided tu remuve the label now from the pakaj he was carrying. He hoped that Myrtle wuhd not harrass him abowt the cost of the new fur coat he had bawt her. He had a fairly guhd replie. At least it was paid for. And the first of the year was allmoast here and the air was coald.

He fownd the paper partly open, over a chair. It had raind in the morning. The paper offen got wet. He turnd the radeo on but didn’t care for the singing.

He red abowt the sieclone which had allmoast hit the sivic senter. The sky had luhkd threttening. He gave a sie. Thare wuhd hav ben the devil tu pay if the storm had ben wurse. The nollej made him winse. He thawt, “We ar so helpless in the fasse of bad wether.” He gave som thawt abowt emerjansy powr, but clung tu his uisual rigor, which ment discussing this with his wife befor makeng a desizhon. She expected this considderashen. He had ben thinking abowt emejansy powr and had an idea. Som mezhur of acshon miet be prudent.

SRS

The Láte Uhrival


Bob strólld up the path.  He wuz láte and wuz considering his alibi. He lisend tu the uther cars in the street, heding hóme. The dôg, with paw ráizd, greeted him at the dor. Molly keud awlwáys tell when he uhríved. She wuz a fáithful creature, and the sensitivity uv that nóze wuz not a myth. The house wuz quíet. He leukt down at the vínyl tíle.  It keud stand sum polish but he weud rézist the impulse tu compláin.

He saw his fahther in the garden nirr the fence but didn't bother tu cawl him. He wuz obvìusly préperring tu mów the lawn.  He keud see the nábor's cow in the medów and the dense weuds béyond. It seemed a trivìal matter but he awlwáys leukt tu see if therr wuz enything on the kitchen táble. His wífe míght wríte a nóte. Therr wuz a nu novel therr, probably hers.  It had a pécùlyar symbol on the cuver.  The títle sed sumthing ubout neurons.  He didn't knów whut that wuz ubout but simply didn't kerr.

He décíded tu rémúve the lábel now frum the packij he wuz kerréing.  He hóped that Myrtle weud not huhrass him ubout the côst uv the nu fur cót he had bôt her. He had a fairly geud réplý.  At lést it wuz páid for. And the first uv the yirr wuz awlmóst hirr and the air wuz cóld.

He found the páper partly ópen, óver a chair. It had ráind in the morning.  The páper ôfen got wet.  He turnd the rádìo on but didn't kerr for the singing.

He red ubout the cýclóne which had awlmóst hit the civic center. The sky had leukt thretning.  He gáve a sígh. Therr weud hav bin the devil tu páy if the storm had bin wurse.  The knolej máde him wince. He thôt, "We ar so helpless in the fáce uv bad wether".  He gáve sum thôt tu sólar power, but clung tu his ùzhúal rigor, which ment discussing this with his wífe béfor máking a décizhun.  She expected this considerátion. He had bin thinking ubout émerjency power and had an ídéa. Sum mezhur uv action míght be prúdent.



DRE (Strict)

The Láte Aríval


Bob strólled up the path.  Hé wôz láte and wôz considering hiz alibí.  Hé lissened tu the ôther càrs in the street, hedding hóme.  The dòg, with paw raized, greeted him at the dòr.  Molly coûd aulways tell when hé aríved.  Shé wôz a faithful creatjur, and the sensitivity ov that nóze wôz not a myth.  The house wôz quiët. Hé looked down at the vínyl tíle.  It coûd stand sôm polish but hé woûd rezist the impulse tu complain.

Hé saw hiz fàther in the gàrden near the fence but didn't bother tu caull him.  Hé wôz obvìôusly prepâring tu mów the lawn.   Hé coûd see the neybor's cow in the meddów and the dense woods béyond.  It seemed a trivìal matter but hé aulways looked tu see if thâre wôz ânything on the kitchen táble.  Hiz wífe míet wríte a nóte.  Thâre wôz a néw novel thâre, probably hers.  It had a pecúlyar symbol on the côver.  The títle sed sômthing about néurons.  Hé didn't knów whôt that wôz about but simply didn't câre.

Hé decíded tu remùve the lábel now frôm the packaj hé wôz carrying.  Hé hóped that Mirtle woûd not harass him about the còst ov the néw fur coat hé had bawt her.  Hé had a fairly good replý.  At least it wôz paid fòr.  And the first ov the year wôz aulmóst hêre and the air wôz cóld.

Hé found the páper pàrtly ópen, óver a chair.  It had rained in the mòrning.  The páper òffen got wet.  Hé turned the rádìó on but didn't câre fòr the singing.

He redd about the cýclóne which had aulmóst hit the civic center.  The ský had looked threttening.  Hé gáve a síe.  Thâre woûd hav bên the devil tu pay if the stòrm had bên wôrse.  The knolledj máde him wince.  Hé thawt, "Wé àr só helplêss in the fáce ov bad wether".  Hé gáve sôm thawt tu sólar power, but clung tu hiz úzjùal rigor, which ment discussing this with hiz wífe befòre máking a decizion.  Shé expected this considerátion.  Hé had bên thinking about emerjency power and had an ídéa.  Sôm mezjur ov action míet bé prùdent.


DRE (Reduced)

The Late Aríval


Bob strólled up the path.  He woz late and woz considering hiz alibí.  He lissened tu the ôther càrs in the street, hedding home. The dòg, with paw raized, greeted him at the dòr.  Molly coûd aulways tell when he arived.  She woz a faithful creatjur, and the sensitivity ov that noze woz not a myth.  The house woz quiët.  He looked down at the vínyl tile.  It coûd stand som polish but he woûd rezist the impulse tu complain.

He saw hiz fàther in the gàrden near the fence but didn't bother tu caull him.  He woz obvìously prepâring tu mów the lawn.  He coûd see the neybor's cow in the meddów and the dense woods béyond.  It seemed a trivìal matter but he aulways looked tu see if thâre woz ânything on the kitchen táble.  Hiz wife míet write a note.  Thâre woz a néw novel thâre, probably hers.  It had a pecúlyar symbol on the côver.  The títle sed somthing about néurons.  He didn't knów whot that woz about but simply didn't câre.

He decided tu remuve the lábel now from the packaj he woz carrying.  He hoped that Mirtle woûd not harass him about the còst ov the néw fur coat he had bawt her.  He had a fairly good replý.  At least it woz paid for.  And the first ov the year woz aulmóst hêre and the air woz cóld.

He found the páper pàrtly ópen, óver a chair.  It had rained in the mòrning.  The páper òffen got wet.  He turned the rádìó on but didn't câre for the singing.

He redd about the cýclone which had aulmóst hit the civic center.  The ský had looked threttening.  He gave a síe.  Thâre woûd hav bên the devil tu pay if the stòrm had bên wôrse.  The knolledj made him wince.  He thawt, "We ar so helpless in the face ov bad wether".  He gave som thawt tu sólar power, but clung tu hiz úzjùal rigor, which ment discussing this with hiz wife before making a decizion.  She expected this consideration.  He had bên thinking about emerjency power and had an ídéa.  Som mezjur ov action míet be prùdent.





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