Background

To understand the development of Shavian and Shaw`s engagement you have to consider the person George Bernard Shaw, his intention, views and ideas.

George Bernard Shaw was in his days an immense public person who amused, annoyed and was adored at the same time. He was a passionate critic and took criticism as seriously as any other conviction. His various activities are an expression of his whole personality. Only in this coherence problems like the simplification of the English spelling are interpretable.

George Bernard Shaw always used his frivolity to exaggerate problems which were important to him to make it obvious to others. When he took a stand on something it was almost impossible to convince him from the opposite. It was the same with the improved alphabet. His main argument was that this new method of pronounciation saves money. He explained it this way. The simplification saves 20 percent time, these are considering a period of one year 525000 minutes. 20 percent saved time come to a yearly working time saving of writers of two month. The fact that a new language also means the buying of new printing machines, typewriters etc., did not convince him at all.

This little anecdote shows a very discussable person with very much passion and a generous welcome of new ideas. But the question still remains: did he take the simplification of the English language as serious as his followers did and still do?