Making sense of spelling - Gina Cooke
366,206 Views
8,674 Questions Answered
TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
What can spelling tell us about relationships between words? While spelling may sometimes seem random or unexpected, this lesson illuminates how peeling back the layers of spelling helps us understand the complex history and meaningful structure of words.
The belief that English spelling has a lot of exceptions and irregularities is a flawed understanding that arises from the assumption that its primary job is to represent the sounds in a word. The fact is that English spelling, like any writing system, is intended to communicate meaning first and foremost; that's the point. What are some reasons that sounds might not be the primary consideration in the way a word is written? What problems might arise if words were always spelled exactly as they sound?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Animator David Bernal
- Educator Gina Cooke
- Narrator Gina Cooke
