I got it from Frank S. and Troll, so it *must* be true, but if you think about it, there's a 'baby and bathwater' issue here.
You see, in the story below, they *misquote* the rule (leaving half of it out) so that the failure of the system seems far worse than the actual state of affairs.
The part they are leaving out is the, " ... unless as an 'A' as in 'neighbor' or 'weigh'."
That covers 'veil' and 'their' w/o question, but I have to admit, it's not sufficient.
Apparently, the idea that "most people remember the rule" is the failed assumption here.
;)
Britain is tossing out 'i before e' rule
Teachers are advised not to pass on the mantra -- too many exceptions
The Associated Press
updated 8:54 p.m. PT, Sat., June 20, 2009
LONDON - It's a spelling mantra that generations of schoolchildren have learned -- "i before e, except after c."
But new British government guidance tells teachers not to pass on the rule to students, because there are too many exceptions.
The "Support For Spelling" document, which is being sent to thousands of primary schools, says the rule "is not worth teaching" because it doesn't account for words like 'sufficient,' 'veil' and 'their.'
Jack Bovill of the Spelling Society, which advocates simplified spelling, said Saturday he agreed with the decision.
But supporters say the ditty has value because it is one of the few language rules that most people remember.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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