Die Reform der Reform 2
Spelling Reform - Again!
THE 1901 REFORM, LINKS > Page 1, 2
Of course, most Germans are too young to remember the last time German spelling was reformed... in 1901. History seems to be repeating itself. Germans, never very fond of change, complained then and they're complaining now. According to a recent editorial rebuttal by Duden, the publisher of many German references, then as now, people complained about the changes "and the waves gradually calmed."
"Das war nach der Einführung der amtlichen Rechtschreibung 1901/02 nicht anders. Die Geschichte wiederholt sich. Und die Wogen haben sich auch damals nach und nach geglättet."
- From Duden's editorial response to claims it had "secretly" changed the spelling reforms in a recent edition.
Especially with the latest (August 2004) turmoil, no one knows how this story will eventually play out, but one thing is certain: spelling reform as it now exists is flawed and has not been marketed or sold properly by its proponents. Even in Germany, you can't change a language by decree. The spelling problem has now become a political problem—especially in Germany.
And, because both the old and new spelling rules are to officially co-exist until July 31, 2005, spelling reform has become a situation somewhat similar to the introduction of the euro currency in 2001. Until then, prices in Germany were supposed to be posted in euros as well as marks. But in actual practice, prices were often listed in marks only, or with the euro price so small, you could hardly see it. With FAZ's breakaway move, Germans can't even have uniform spelling in their newspapers, much less in many other areas of daily life!
BACK > Part 1
MORE > Spelling Reform Timeline
Related Pages
More from Your Guide
Spelling Reform Hits the Newsstand
This earlier feature is about the media's adoption of German spelling reform in August 1999. Is it all up in the air now?
Spelling Reform: Double-S Words
Our first feature about German spelling reform and some specific rules.
Spelling Reform Timeline
Here's the history and official timeline of Rechtschreibreform: 1901-2005.
Unsere Rechtschreibumfrage!
Rechtschreibreform - ja oder nein? Sagen Sie Ihre Meinung! See what others think.
Related Web Links
Duden Online
The online version of THE German grammar and spelling guide.
Rechtschreibreform
A comprehensive spelling-reform site by Beate and Klaus Stetten.
Spelling Reform in Print/Online
Focus Online
One of Germany's leading news weeklies.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Die F.A.Z. rejected spelling reform in 2000. Here's the online edition.
Spiegel Online
Back to the old rules! (August 2004) The online edition of the German news magazine Der Spiegel.
Süddeutsche Zeitung
This Munich daily has followed Rechtschreibreform until now.
German Spelling Books and Software
Duden: Die deutsche Rechtschreibung (CD-ROM)
The best-selling CD-ROM for the new German spelling - Windows and Mac. "Mit über 120.000 Stichwörtern entspricht sie vom Umfang her der Buchausgabe. In German from Amazon.de.
Duden: Die deutsche Rechtschreibung
Book and CD-ROM (Windows and Mac). One of the best-selling guides to the new German spelling. In German from Amazon.de.
Rechtschreibung interaktiv (CD-ROM)
CD-ROM for Windows and Mac. In German from Amazon.de.
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