11 Versions of H.G. Wells' "The Star"

"The Star" is a story by H.G. Wells which is frequently used as a sample text by spelling reformers.  The full text of this story may be found here.  The usual text is the first paragraph which, for some reason I do not know, is not exactly the same as the text above.  The traditionally spelled text is as follows:

It was on the first day of the new year that the announcement was made, almost simultaneously from three observatories, that the motion of the planet Neptune, the outermost of all the planets that wheel about the Sun, had become very erratic. A retardation in its velocity had been suspected in December. Then, a faint, remote speck of light was discovered in the region of the perturbed planet. At first this did not cause any very great excitement. Scientific people, however, found the intelligence remarkable enough, even before it became known that the new body was rapidly growing larger and brighter, and that its motion was quite different from the orderly progress of the planets.

This page presents this paragraph in 11 reformed spellings, 5 phonemic, 3 respelling, and 3 hybrid systems.  Additional transcriptions may be added to the page if submitted to Alan at wyrdplay.org.

ALC SoundSpel (Hybrid)

It was on the ferst dae of the nue yeer that the anounsment was maed, allmoest siemultaeniusly frum three obzervatorys, that the moeshun of the planet Neptune, the outermoest of all the planets that wheel about the Sun, had becum verry erratic. A retardaeshun in its velosity had bin suspected in Desember. Then, a faent, remoet spek of liet was discuverd in the reejon of the perterbd planet. At ferst this did not cauz eny verry graet exsietment. Sieentific peepl, however, found the intelijens remarkabl enuf, eeven befor it becaem noen that the nue body was rapidly groeing larjer and brieter, and that its moeshun was qiet diferent frum the orderly progres of the planets.

Bobdot (Phonemic)

It wuz on the furst dá uv the nú yir that the unöunsmunt wuz mád, awlmòst sìmultánèuslè frum tþré ubzürvutorèz, that the móshun uv the planet Neptùn, the outurmòst uv awl the planets that whél uböut the Sun, had bècüm verè irätik. A rètardáshun in its vulösitè had bin suspëkted in Dèsëmbur. Then, a fánt, rèmót spek uv lít wuz discüvurd in the réjun uv the purtürbd planet. At furst this did not cawz enè verè grát eksítmunt. Sìuntïfik pépul, howëvur, found the intëlijuns rèmärcubul inüf, évun bèför it bècám nón that the nú bodè wuz rapidlè gróing larjur and brítur, and that its móshun wuz kwít difurunt frum the ordurlè progrus uv the planets.

Foecsriet (Phonemic)

It wuz on the furst da uv the nu yir that the unounsmunt wuz maed, olmoest siemultaenyusly frum thre ubzurvutoryz, that the moeshun uv the planut Neptuen, the outurmoest uv ol the planuts that wyl ubout the Sun, had bicum very iratic. A rytardaeshun in its vulosuty had bin suspectud in Disembur. Then, a faent, rimoet spec uv liet wuz discuvurd in the ryjun uv the purturbd planut. At furst this did not coz eny very graet ecsietmunt. Siuntific pypul, houevur, found the intelujunts rimarcubul inuf, yvun bifor it bicaem noen that the nu body wuz rapudly groing larjur and brietur, and that its moeshun wuz cwiet difrunt frum the ordurly progres uv the planuts.

Inglish2 (Phonemic)

It was on the ferst day of the new yir that the anounsment was made, olmoast simultaniusly from three observatorys, that the motion of the planet Neptune, the outermoast of ol the planets that wheel about the Sun, had becum very eratic. A retardation in its velosity had bin suspected in December. Then, a faint, remote spek of lite was discuverd in the rejun of the perterbd planet. At ferst this did not caus eny very grate exitement. Syentific peepl, however, found the intelijens remarkabl enuf, even befor it became knoen that the new body was rapidly groing larjer and briter, and that its motion was quite diferent from the orderly progres of the planets.

IRM (Hybrid)

It wuz on dhe furst dae uv dhe nu yir dhat dhe anowncemnt wuz maed, awlmoest siemultaene'usly frum thre obzurvatorys, dhat dhe moeshn uv dhe plannet Neptuen, dhe owtrmoest uv awl dhe plannets dhat weel abowt dhe Sun, had bekumm vairy irattik.  A retardaeshn in its velossity had bin suspekted in Desembr.  Dhen, a faent, remoet spek uv liet wuz diskuvvrd in dhe reejn uv dhe perturbd plannet.  At furst dhis did not kawz enny vairy graet exietmnt.  Si'ntiffik peepl, howevvr, fownd dhe intellijnce remarkabl enuff, eevn befor it bekaym noen dhat dhe nu boddy wuz rappidly gro'ing larjer and brieter, and dhat its moeshn wuz quiet differnt frum dhe ordrly progres uv dhe plannets.

Lojikl Inglish (Phonemic)

It woz on th feurst dae ov th nue yeer that th anounsmeunt woz maed, aulmoest simuultaeniusli from three obseurveutriz, that th moeshn ov th planit Neptuen, th outrmoest ov aul th planits that weel about th Sun, had bikum veri iratik. A ritaardaeshn in its veulositi had bin suspektid in Disembr.Then, a faent spek ov liet woz diskuvrd in th reejeun ov th peurteurbd planit. At feurst this did not kauz eni veri graet exietmeunt. Sieuntifik peepl, hou evr found th intelijeuns rimaarkeubl inuf, eevn bifaur it bikaem noen that th nue bodi woz rapidli groeing laarjr and brietr, and that its moeshn woz qiet difreunt from th aurdeurli proegres ov th planits.

MORE (Respelling)

It was on the first day of the new year that the anownsemant was made, allmoast simeltaneusly from three observatorys, that the moshen of the plannet Neptune, the owtermoast of all the plannets that wheel abowt the Sun, had becom very erratic. A retardashen in its velosity had ben suspected in Desember. Then, a faint, remote spek of liet was discovverd in the rejen of the perturbd plannet. At first this did not cawse any very graet exitemant. Sientific pepel, howevver, fownd the intelijanse remarkabel enuf, even befor it became noen that the body was rapidly groing larjer and briet'r, and that its moshen was kwite differant from the orderly progress of the plannets.

Regularized English (Respelling)

It woz on the first day ov the new year that the announcement woz made, aulmoste simultaneously from three obzervatories, that the motion ov the planet Neptune, the outermoste ov aul the planets that wheel about the Sun, had becum very erratic.  A retardation in its velocity had been suspected in December.  Then, a faint, remote speck ov light woz discuvered in the region ov the perturbed planet.  At first this did not cauze eny very greit excitement.  Scientific peeple, however, found the intelligence remarkable enuff, even before it became knoen that the new body woz rapidly groeing larger and brighter, and that its motion woz quite different from the orderly progress ov the planets.

SREA2 (Phonemic)

It woz on dhe fзrst dā ov dhe Nū Yir dhat dhe ønaunsmønt woz mād, ölmōst simøltānÿøslÿ from thrē øbzзrvøtrÿz, dhat dhe mōshøn ov dhe planit Neptūn, dhe autørmōst ov öl dhe planits dhat whēl øbaut dhe sun, had bikum verÿ iratik. A rētärdāshøn in its vølosøtÿ had bēn søspektid in Disembør. Dhen a fānt, rimōt spek ov līt woz diskuvørd in dhe rējøn ov dhe pзrtзrbd planit. At fзrst dhis did not köz enÿ verÿ grāt eksītmønt. Sīøntifik pēpøl, hauevør, faund dhe intelijøns rimärkøbøl inuf, ēvøn biför it bikām nōn dhat dhe nū bodÿ woz rapidlÿ grōiŋ lärjør and brītør, and dhat its mōshøn woz kwīt difrønt from dhe ördørlÿ prōgres ov dhe planits.

SRS (Respelling)

It wuz on the first dáy uv the nú yirr that the unnouncement wuz máde, awlmóst símultánéusly frum three obzervutoréz, that the mótion uv the planet Neptúne, the outermóst uv awl the planets that wheel ubout the Sun, had bécum verry erratic.  A rétardátion in its velocity had bin suspected in Décember.  Then, a fáint, rémóte speck uv líght wuz discuverd in the réjun uv the perturbd planet.  At first this did not cawz eny verry grát excítment.   Scíentific péple, however, found the intellijunce rémarkuble énuf, éven béfor it bécáme knówn that the nú body wuz rapidly grówing larjer and bríghter, and its mótion wuz qúíte different frum the orderly progress uv the planets.

WLM (Phonemic)

It wuz ahn dhi furst day ev dhi nue yir dhat dhi enownsmhnt wuz mayd, awlmost siemltayniysly frum three ebzurvitoryyz, dhat dhi moxn ev dhi planit Neptuen, dhi owtrmost ev awl dhi planitz dhat wiyl ebowt dhi Sun, had bikum veiry iratik.  A ritardayxn in itz vlhahsity had bin sispekt'd in Disembr.  Dhen, a faynt, rimot spek ev liet wuz diskuvrd in dhi reejn ev dhi prturbd planit.  At furst dhis did naht kawz einy veiry grayt iksietmhnt.  Sihntifik peepl, howevr, fownd dhi nue intelijns rimarkibl inuf, eevn bifor it bikaym non dhat dhi nue bahdy wuz rapidly gro'inq larj'r and briet'r, and dhat itz moxn wuz kwiet difrhnt frum dhi ordrly prahgris ev dhi planitz.

WMM (Hybrid)

It wuz on dhe fërst dá ov dhe neú yeer dhat dhe anàunsment wuz maid, ôlmoast siemultainýusly frum thré obzërvatôryz, dhat dhe moashon ov dhe planet Nèpteún, dhe àutermoast ov ôl dhe planetz dhat wheel abàut dhe Sun, xad bêkùm very iràtik. A reetârdaishon in its velòsity xad bin suspèkted in Dêsèmber. Dhen, a faint, rêmoat spek ov liet wuz diskùverd in dhe reejon ov dhe pertërbd planet. At fërst dhis did not kôz eny very grait êksietment. Síentìfik peepel, xàuèver, fàund dhe intèlijens rêmârkabel ênùf, eeven bêfôr it bêkaim noan dhat dhe neú body wuz rapidly gróiñ lârjer and brieter, and dhat its moashon wuz kwiet diferent frum dhe ôrderly progres ov dhe planetz.

More Star transcriptions can be found here.

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