Why did English spelling become such a mess?

guest 2   Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:57 pm GMT
furrykef Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:36 am GMT:

<<Finally, English does not have a language academy, so there is no authority that can successfully dictate any kind of orthographic reform, no matter how big or small. Thus, while other languages occasionally experience reforms, English pretty much never does, because there's no way to centralize and control it.>>

Be proud of that!

Don't think a reform would make things better. Having an ''academy'' gives the authorities power over the orthography and eventually over the language, at least in parts. And this creates the ugliest mess ever. The German ''Rechtschreibreform'' should be a deterrent exemple.