User:Mahagaja/Unified English Spelling

In this increasingly globalized world, I say the time has come to abolish all American and British English spelling differences and create a unified spelling for English that will be valid in all English-speaking countries. Where American and British (or more generally, Commonwealth) spelling deviates, but the pronunciation is the same (abstracting away from phonologically predictable differences in accent), one or the other form should be preferred. Which form is preferred should be decided on by a number of different criteria, some of which may conflict with others. The criteria, roughly in order of importance, are:
 * 1) Length. In general, the form with fewer letters should be preferred.
 * 2) Etymology. In general, the form that better matches the form used in the source language of the word should be preferred.
 * 3) Reduction of semantically related homophones with different spellings.
 * 4) Reflection of pronunciation.
 * 5) Conformity with other European languages.

Note: I don't and won't follow these suggestions in my Wikipedia writing, because this mishmash is not standard spelling anywhere. Nor do I seriously expect it ever to become standard spelling across the world. This is just my fantasy about how things oughta be, and would be if I were in charge. Keep that in mind if I ever become the benevolent dictator of the planet.

P.S. While I'm at it, I want to add ðat I þink English should restore ðe letters þ and ð, which got kicked out of ðe English alphabet for no better reason ðan ðat ðey weren't used in French. Th would be kept for words of Greek origin, analogously to ðe way ph is currently used in words of Greek origin while f is used in most words of oðer origins (notable exceptions being gopher and nephew).