Orthography

Cavins, Elmer W. (Elmer Warren), 1864-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.0

Word count: 167K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Orthography by Elmer W. CavinsAuthor: Cavins, Elmer W. (Elmer Warren), 1864-,Language: English, Class: PE: Language and Literatures: English, Release Date: Nov 7, 2007

Editor's review

This is an early English orthography textbook that systematically explains spelling rules and writing conventions, making it a primary source for historical linguistics and the history of English language teaching. It is valuable to readers studying English spelling pedagogy and textbook design from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, and can also serve as a comparative reader for English teachers interested in traditional phonics training approaches. The content consists mainly of rule listings and exercises; the language is plain and the structure clear, making it suitable for chapter-by-chapter study. Note that the book was written long ago, and some spellings and usages differ from modern norms; readers should approach it with a historical perspective, treating it as a historical document and sample of pedagogy rather than a contemporary spelling guide. Its public-domain status also makes it easy for readers to consult the original text at any time.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University faculty and students studying the history of English teaching and textbooks
English teachers seeking to understand traditional phonics training methods
Readers interested in the evolution of orthography and spelling conventions

Not a good fit for

Beginners who only want to consult modern English spelling rules
General readers expecting entertaining or narrative content

Reading tips

Read the table of contents first to grasp the classification of rules, then note entries that differ from modern spelling chapter by chapter.
Read alongside a modern English dictionary and mark obsolete spellings and usages.
Use it as a historical source on English phonics pedagogy and take comparative notes with contemporary textbooks.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for learning modern English spelling?

Not really as a modern spelling guide. It was written long ago, and some spellings and usages are inconsistent with modern norms. It is better read as material on the history of teaching for comparison; for learning modern spelling, contemporary dictionaries and textbooks should remain the standard.

What English proficiency is needed to read this book?

Intermediate or higher English reading ability is needed to understand the explanatory rule text. The rules and exercises are mostly in English, so readers with weaker foundations may find it difficult; they can start with a dictionary or a parallel translation.

Is the content of the public-domain book complete?

The book is published by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book and generally retains the original main text. Pagination may differ across versions, but the main text is available for reading and research.

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About the author

Cavins, Elmer W. (Elmer Warren), 1864- Author · American · 1864

Elmer W. Cavins (born 1864) was an American educator. Public information about him is limited. He worked for many years in English language teaching and textbook compilation. His representative work is Orthography, and he also compiled textbooks on English grammar and rhetoric. His writing was oriented toward actual classroom use, emphasizing basic training in spelling, grammar, and rhetoric; it is clear and well organized, and easy to use in teaching, reflecting the emphasis on correctness and practice characteristic of American English textbooks of the time. Although records of his life and educational background are scarce and his output was limited, his surviving textbooks show that he focused on the systematic teaching of fundamental language skills, and that the material he compiled served to develop students' reading and writing abilities. These textbooks had a certain practical value in language teaching at the time and also offer a reference for understanding the orientation of American English education in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.