Here is my piece for this week’s 100 word challenge for grown ups (the original is for kids). Basically, given a prompt, you write a piece that is exactly 100 words.
Check it out at Julia’s Place.
The prompt this time is Wednesday.
So, here we go:
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It had a hard binding and opened to reveal hundreds of pieces of yellowed paper. I’d found it in Granny’s attic.
“What’s that?” Jo asked.
“I think it’s a book.”
He came over to look. “What’s that on the cover?”
“Maybe some old word?”
He tries to sound it out, “Dict-eye-on-are-ee?”
I shrug, but Jo opens it up to the back, where the binding seems stronger.
He tries a word at the top, squinting at the tiny letters, “Wed…nes…day?”
Annoyed, I type the word into my ristchip and the answer pops up, “Wednesday: Wensday. This speling pre-dates Uniform Funetics. Obsoleet.”
Good Job!
Thanks!
What a sad day that would be if it ever happened. I love our quirky spellings and the history that explains them. Great idea for a story though – loved it.
I agree it would be sad (except for kindergarteners learning how to read using phonics).
I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to say so
A clever story and fun take on the prompt.
Let’s hope this vision of the future is only in your head.
Thanks Mike!
I was a bit nervous about this one. 100 words isn’t a lot to get across the time setting.
I like this. Our spellings certainly are quaint ! Makes for lots of interesting opportunities in class though!
Thanks Anna!
I remember being told once that Wednesday came from the Norse God Woden. How anybody got “Wednes” from “Woden” is beyond me. It’s not like they had typos back then!
Nicely written and original. Didn’t get the time setting at first but it piqued my interest enough for a second read.
I’m glad you read it a second time. That was the hardest part of this – getting the setting in so few words.
Great story! Very original idea. Wonder how long it will take us to get to this?! Not that long, probably. All the same, I hope we don’t lose the richness of our language as everything gets increasingly homogenised.
I’m sorry it took so long for me to notice, but your comment got temporarily eaten by the SPAM folder. I just found it among all the real spam.
Thank you for the comment. I’m really glad you liked the idea. I also hope our language doesn’t get butchered – entirely. I do wish we were a bit more phonetic, it would make spelling a lot easier.
This is original and delightful. I love the idea of some far away future generation finding old books and wondering how to read them, the thought of a universal phonetic language is so creative! Excellent work, I really enjoyed this.
Thanks Judee! I’m glad you liked it.
Briliant! I love this one. I knew what was coming (that it was the future not the exact ending) as soon as the guy couldn’t read dictionary. Well Done!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback – I love positive comments on my writing (who doesn’t??).
Oh what fun and their pronunciation certainly makes more sense!
I’m glad you liked it.