> It'd be great if we native English-speakers would tolerate — and even encourage — "mistakes" in English to streamline (refactor?) the language and make it easier for non-native speakers to become fluent
This is how languages evolve already. Mistakes become accepted over time.
The problem with "turning it up to 11" (or not offering mistakes any resistance before giving in to them; being conservative about it helps to single out the most persistent ones, working as natural selection of sorts)... is that not all the learners will make the same mistakes.
> English as a Second Language teachers could doubtless come up with a long list of such "mistakes."
Exactly, it would be a very long list. And much dependent on the background of the learner (aka their first language). What'd be obvious and easy for me as a Pole is not necessarily the same for a Spaniard.
Meaning this approach would lead to further diversification, rather than unification of the language.
> "misspellings" should be tolerated as well
As a non-native speaker, I'm pretty sure that widespread acceptance for spelling mistakes would pose more difficulty for me in the long run.
It is way easier for a native speaker to see past them.
So, while your mileage may vary, I, for one, vote thanks but no thanks :)
> As a non-native speaker, I'm pretty sure that widespread acceptance for spelling mistakes would pose more difficulty for me in the long run.
GP here. You and @maginary make an interesting point, namely that standardized spelling helps non-native speakers. The problem with English is that much of our existing standardized spelling is quite non-intuitive to pronounce, e.g., rough, through, thorough. Perhaps some kind of spelling reform as discussed by @philipps and @jherdman below would help, although other comments here also discuss the problems that have arisen with such efforts.
This is how languages evolve already. Mistakes become accepted over time.
The problem with "turning it up to 11" (or not offering mistakes any resistance before giving in to them; being conservative about it helps to single out the most persistent ones, working as natural selection of sorts)... is that not all the learners will make the same mistakes.
> English as a Second Language teachers could doubtless come up with a long list of such "mistakes."
Exactly, it would be a very long list. And much dependent on the background of the learner (aka their first language). What'd be obvious and easy for me as a Pole is not necessarily the same for a Spaniard.
Meaning this approach would lead to further diversification, rather than unification of the language.
> "misspellings" should be tolerated as well
As a non-native speaker, I'm pretty sure that widespread acceptance for spelling mistakes would pose more difficulty for me in the long run.
It is way easier for a native speaker to see past them.
So, while your mileage may vary, I, for one, vote thanks but no thanks :)