'In the preceding nine lessons  you have learned sufficient grammar of Transitional English to be able to read almost any text in English. Of course, all vocabulary cannot be learned by anyone, but you will be able to guess the meaning of many new words simply by their context.'

'As the last exercises, please translate the following paragraphs. We would appreciate it if you would be so kind as to respond to the "Evaluation" that follows the text, and communicate with us concerning your ideas for improvement of this experimental, initial approach to learning Standard English. The Transitional English itself can be used to communicate globally with ordinary international travelers. Your comments are very important to us, and can be sent to us by e-mail. Thank you.'

aysélf (I self), pron. ' '
biznès letèr (business letter), fr. ' '
browshúr (brochure), n. ' '
diàr (dear), adj. ' '
eksèrsayz (exercise), n. ' '
enklówzed (enclosed), adj. ' '
faynd (find), v. ' '
feys (face), n. ' '
gayd (guide), v. ' '
hièr bï (here be), fr. ' '
howp (hope), v. ' '
infòrméyshòn (information), n. ' '
kùlchùr (culture), n. ' '
kòmyûnìkeyt (communicate), v. ' '
kòmpàni (company), n. ' '
kòngráchùleyt (congratulate), v. ' '
kopi (copy), v. ' '
land (land), n. ' '
low (low), adj. ' '
lèrn (learn), v. ' '
Mr. = mistèr (mister), n. ' '
plan (plan), n. ' '
prays (price), n. ' '
prezìdènt (president), n. ' '
pròfésòr (professor), n. ' '
risîv (receive), v. ' '
sampèl (sample), n. ' '
sinsíèrli (sincerely), adv. ' '
sïnyòr (senior), adj. ' '
sitìzèn (citizen), n. ' '
speshàl (special), adj. ' '
stùdi (study), v. ' '
sün (soon), adv. ' '
tök (talk), v. ' '
Transíshònàl Inglish (Transitional English), n. ' '
travèl (travel), v. ' '
trip (trip), n. ' '
tur (tour), n. ' '
wey (way), n. ' '
rayt (write), v. ' '
wòrld (world), n. ' '
wud layk (would like), fr. ' '
yüs (use), n. ' '
yüz (use), v. ' '

Eksèrsayz (Exercise), 'Exercise': Hièr bï sampèl ov biznès letèr. Yü kan rayt ov-yü own ansèr or kopi it from bilów.

Cincinnati, Ohio
March 15, 1998

Mr. Mayk Frendli
Prezìdènt, Wòrld Travèl
New York, NY

Diàr Mr. Frendli:

Ay wud-layk risîv infòrméyshòn àbáwt ov-yü gayded tur àráwnd wòrld at speshàl low prays. Ay hav stùdied Transíshònàl Inglish for wòn mònth and ay wud-layk mït pïpèl ov òdhèr lands and tök with dhey aysélf feys-tu-feys.

Plïz rayt tu ay sün, so ay kan meyk ov-ay plans for tur with ov-yü kòmpàni.

Thangk yü.

Sinsíèrli ov-yü,

J. L. Glóbolekt
Pròfésòr Imérìtùs

'In your reply use the simple language of Transitional English.'

New York, New York
March 24, 1998

Diàr Prof. Glóbolekt:

Wi thangk yü for ov-yü letèr ov March 15. Enklówzed plïz faynd ov-wi browshúr tu ov-wi gayded tur àráwnd wòrld at speshàl prays for sïnyòr sitìzèns.

Wi kòngráchùleyt yü on lèrning Transíshònàl Inglish. It bï gud wey tu_kòmyûnìkeyt with pïpèl ov òdhèr lands and kùlchùrs. Wi yüs Transíshònàl Inglish on öl ov-wi turs. Wi howp sï yü on wòn ov dhey sün.

Sinsíèrli ov-yü,

Mayk Frendli
Prezìdènt, Wòrld Travèl

Enk.: Browshúr

ùnsùksésfùl (unsuccessful), adj. ' '
àpíàr (appear), v. ' '
aydîà (idea), n. ' '
barïèr (barrier), n. ' '
bowt (boat), n. ' '
destìnd (destined), adj. ' '
disk`óvèr (discover), v. ' '
drïm (dream), n. ' '
ikspérìmènt (experiment), n. ' '
akwìzíshòn (acquisition), n. ' '
enk. = enklówzed (enclosed), v.past ' '
ethnik (ethnic), adj. ' '
evriwòn (everyone), pron. ' '
faynd (find), v. ' '
förwàrd (forward), adv. ' '
frïli (freely), adv. ' '
fyü (few), adj. ' '
glowb (globe), n. ' '
glowbàl (global), adj. ' '
gramàr (grammar), n. ' '
grüp (group), n. ' '
härd (hard), adj. ' '
hapi (happy), adj. ' '
històri (history), n. ' '
hü (who), pron. ' '
imp`érfikt (imperfect), adj. ' '
imprûv (improve), v. ' '
infìnìt (infinite), adj. ' '
inhábìtànt (inhabitant), n. ' '
ivalyùwéyshòn (evaluation), n. ' '
kùlchùràl (cultural), adj. ' '
kòmyûnìkeyt (communicate), v. ' '
kòmyûnìti (community), n. ' '
kònsénsùs (consensus), n. ' '
kozmòpólìtàn (cosmopolitan), adj. ' '
kozmos (cosmos), n. ' '
kan (can), v. ' '
kritìsayz (criticize), v. ' '
kwik (quick), adj. ' '
lùk (luck), n. ' '
Latin [Latìn] (Latin), p.n. ' '
langgwij (language), n. ' '
limìt (limit), n. ' '
lingua franca (lingua franca), fr. ' '
modèrn (modern), adj. ' '
mùst (must), v. ' '
mör (more), adv. ' '
mowst (most), adv. ' '
müvmènt (movement), n. ' '
myüchuwàli (mutually), adv. ' '
nashònàl (national), adj. ' '
nïd (need), n. ' '
ofèr (offer), v. ' '
planèt (planet), n. ' '
progrès (progress), n. ' '
pròfésòr (professor), n. ' '
pròpówz (propose), v. ' '
redi (ready), adj. ' '
revòlûshòn (revolution), n. ' '
rïch (reach), v. ' '
rïzòn (reason), n. ' '
rizùlt (result), n. ' '
Rowm (Rome), n. p. ' '
sùksésfùl (successful), adj. ' '
sùplèmènt (supplement), n. ' '
sentèr (center), n. ' '
shortkòmings (short-comings), fr. ' '
sìlékt (select), v. ' '
simplìfay (simplify), v. ' '
sink (sink), v. ' '
smöl (small), adj. ' '
spred (spread), v. ' '
sìrkèl (circle), n. ' '
tekst (text), n. ' '
TI = Transíshònàl Inglish (Transitional English), p.n. ' '
tïch (teach), v. ' '
tïm (team), n. ' '
tray (try), v. ' '
èrli (early), adv. ' '
veri (very), adv. ' '
vilij (village), n. ' '
vèrzhòn (version), n. ' '
wòrkàbèl (workable), adj. ' '

Històri ov Transíshònàl Inglish bï veri short wòn. It stärt with aydîà dhat on dhis litèl planèt, wi bï öl inhábìtànts ov seym glowbàl vilij; wi faynd wisélfs withín infìnìt kozmos in seym litèl bowt, in wàt wi bï destìnd tu_liv or  sink tògédhèr. Dhat bï rïzòn way sow mùch milyòns, indïd owvèr bilyòn, ov wi hav lèrned Inglish.

Inglish bï fastest spréding langgwij in històri ov wòrld. Layk Latin [Latìn] langgwij ov Rome [Rowm], it bï sìlékted bay kònsénsùs ov wòrld's popyùléyshòn az lingua franca ov nowed wòrld. It hav àpíàred in sevèràl forms àráwnd glowb, bùt ól ov dhey mast bï myüchùwàli ùndèrstándàbèl tu_sèrv pïpèl gud.

Dher bï naw müvmènt àráwnd glowb tu_simplìfay Inglish, ïvèn dhow pïpèl hav trayed ùnsùksésfùli for hùndrèds ov yiàrs tu_simplìfay it. Wòn ov most sùksésfùl trays bïed dhat ov C. K. Ogden bifôr Wòrld Wör II. Hi simplìfayed vòkábyùleri and with dhis Basic English hi started a revòlûshòn in tïching ov langgwijes, werbay beysik vòkábyùleri bik`ómed sentèr àráwnd wàt tïching ov öl modèrn langgwijes sìrkled.

Bùt mùch pïpèl hav nowted dhat Basic English not hav simplìfayed gramàr, wàt bï mùch härder tu_lèrn dhan vòkábyùleri. In last thrïti yiàrs mùch linggwists àráwnd wòrld stùdied simplìfayed forms ov Inglish, and pròpówzed dhat Inglish bï simplìfayed for ïzier and kwiker akwìzíshòn bay öl hü wish tu_lèrn Inglish, so dhey kan kòmyûnìkeyt ov-dhey beysik nïds àkrôs kùlchùràl barïèrs and ethnik and nashònàl limìts.

At University of Kentucky, in 1993, smöl grüp ov kozmòpólìtàn pròfésòrs stärted wòrk on simplìfìkéyshòn ov Inglish gramàr, dhùs tu_sùplèmènt Basic Vocabulary ölrédi istáblished bay C. K. Ogden. Ov-dhey härd wòrk pròdyûsed tekst ov Transíshònàl Inglish dhat bïed yüzed in ikspérìmènt at Ministry of Defense of Slovak Republic in Septémbèr - Októwbèr 1996, with help ov Fulbright Research Award. Wi dhùs disk`óvèred sòm shortkòmings ov èrli vèrzhòn ov simplìfayed Inglish tekst. Az rizùlt, tïm ov fyü pròfésòrs stärted nyü vèrzhòn ov TI text.

Dhis nyü vèrzhòn naw bï redi for mör iksperìmèntéyshòn. Dhow tekst bï imp`érfikt, it bï wòrkàbèl, sow dhat wi ofèr it tu wòrld kòmyûnìti for iksperìmèntéyshòn. Ownli dhùs kan progrès kòm in glowbàl feys-tu-feys kòmyünìkéyshòn.

Evriwòn kan test it frïli; kritìsayz it, and imprûv it. Dhen dhey-hü bï satìsfayed kan lèrn it tu_tök feys-tu-feys with ov-dhey wòrld frends.

Wi luk förwàrd tu ov-yü ivalyùwéyshòn (evaluation) ov ten lesòns. Ivalyùwéyshòn àpíàr at end ov dhis lesòns ov Transíshònàl Inglish. Wi howp dhis tekst wil-help yü rïch ov-yü drïm tu_meyk ov-yü layf gudèr and hapier. Gud lùk tu yü.

àbríjing (abridging), part. ' '
blaynd (blind), adj. ' '
breyl (braille), n. ' '
chayld (child), n. ' '
hinj (hinge), n. ' '
keyj (cage), n. ' '
poyzònùs (poisonous), adj. ' '
rowp (rope), n. ' '
sörd (sword), n. ' '
ways (wise), adj. ' '
yüs (use), n. ' '

Löng taym àgów, in land far away, dher lived siks blaynd mans. Ïch ov dhey bïed veri ways. Ïch ov dhey haved gowed tu skül and rïded lots ov buks in breyl.
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived six blind men. Each of them was very wise. Each of them had gone to school and read lots of books in braille.

Dhey nowed sow mùch àbáwt sow meni things dhat pïpèl wud öfèn kòm from mayls àráwnd tu_get ov-dhey àdváys. Dhey bïed hapi tu_sheèr wàtévèr dhey nowed with pïpèl that asked dhey thötful kweschòns.
They knew so much about so many things that people would often come from miles around to get their advice. They were happy to share whatever they knew with
the people who asked them thoughtful questions.

Wòn dey dhis siks ways blaynd mans gowed for wök in zü. Dhat dey zükïpèr bïed woriing àbáwt öl ov-shi meni tròbèls.
One day these six wise blind men went for a walk in the zoo. That day the zükïpèr was worrying about all of her many troubles.

Nayt bifôr shi haved haved ärgyùmènt with ov-shi hùzbànd, and ov-shi chaylds bïed misbihéyving öl dey löng. Shi haved sow mùch on ov-shi maynd dhat shi forgéted tu_lok geyt ov elèfànt keyj az shi bïed lïving it.
The night before she had had an argument with her husband, and her children had been misbehaving all day long. She had so much on her mind that she forgot to
lock the gate of the elephant cage as she was leaving it.

Naw elèfànts bï nachùràli kyurïòs anìmàls. Dhey kwikli trayed tu_push geyt tu_sï if it mey-owpèn. Tu ov-dhey greyt sùrpráyz, geyt swinged frïli on ov-it hinj. Tü ov mör deèring elèfànts wöked owvèr tu geyt. Dhey luked left and rayt and dhen kwayètli tip-towed awt ov keyj.
Now, elephants are naturally very curious animals. They quickly tried to push the gate to the cage to see if it might open. To their great surprise, the gate swung freely
on its hinge. Two of the more daring elephants walked over to the gate. They looked left and right, and then quietly tip-toed out of the cage.

Jùst at dhat mowmènt siks blaynd mans wöked bay. Wòn ov dhey hiàred twig snap, and gowed owvèr tu_sï wàt it bïed dhat bïed wöking bay.
Just at that moment the six blind men walked by. One of them heard a twig snap, and went over to see what it was that was walking by.

"Hay dheèr!" seyed fìrst blaynd man tu fìrst elèfànt. "Please, yü kud-tel wi wey tu zü restàrànt?" Elèfànt not kud-thingk ov enithing intélìjènt tu_sey, sow hi shört ov shifted ov-hi weyt from left tu rayt tu left tu rayt.
"Hi there !" said the first blind man to the first elephant. "Could you please tell us the way to the zoo restaurant ?" The elephant couldn't think of anything intelligent to
say, so he sort of shifted his weight from left to right to left to right.

Fìrst blaynd man wöked owvèr tu_sï if big saylènt pèrsòn nïded eni help. Dhen, with big bump, hi wöked rayt intü sayd of elèfànt. Hi put awt ov-hi arms tu ïdhèr sayd, bùt öl dhat hi kud-fïl bïed big bòdi ov elèfànt.
The first blind man walked over to see if this big silent person needed any help. Then, with a big bump, he walked right into the side of the elephant. He put out his
arms to either side, but all he could feel was the big body of the elephant.

"Boy," seyed fìrst bland man. "Ay thingk ay mùst-hav wöked intü wöl." Sekònd blaynd man bïed bik`óming mör and mör kyurïòs àbáwt wàt bïed hapèning. Hi wöked owvèr tu front ov elèfànt and grabed howld ov ov-anìmàl trùngk.
"Boy," said the first blind man. "I think I must have walked into a wall. "The second blind man was becoming more and more curious about what was happening. He
walked over to the front of the elephant and grabbed hold of the animal's trunk.

Hi kwikli leted gow and shawted, "Dhis not bï wöl. Dhis bï sneyk! Wi shud-step bak in keys it bï poyzònùs." Thrïth man kwikli disáyded tu_faynd awt wàt bïed gowing on, and tu_tel ov-hi frends wàt dhey wöked into.
He quickly let go and shouted, "This isn't a wall. This is a snake! We should step back in case it's poisonous." The third man quickly decided to find out what was
going on, and to tell his friends what they had walked into.

Hi wöked owvèr tu bak ov elèfànt and tòched ov-anìmàl teyl. "Dhis not bï wöl, and dhis not bï sneyk. Yü bï bowth röng wòn wòns àgén. Ay now for shuèr dhat dhis bï rowp.
He walked over to the back of the elephant and touched the animal's tail. "This is no wall, and this is no snake. You are both wrong once again. I know for sure that
this is a rope."

Förth man seyed az hi nowed haw stùbòrn ov-hi frends kud-bï. Förth blaynd man disáyded dhat sòmwòn riàli shud-get tu botòm ov thing. Sow hi krawched dawn on öl förs and fïled àráwnd ov-elèfànt legs. (Lùkili for förth man, dhis elèfànt bïed veri teym and not wud-thingk ov steping on hyümàn bïing.)
The fourth man sighed as he knew how stubborn his friends could be. The fourth blind man decided that someone should really get to the bottom of this thing. So he
crouched down on all fours and felt around the elephant's legs. (Luckily for the fourth man, this elephant was very tame and wouldn't think of stepping on a human
being.)

"Ov-ay diàr frends," ikspléyned  förth man. "Dhis not bï wöl and dhis not bï sneyk. Dhis not bï rowp ïdhèr. Wàt wi hav hièr, jentèlmàns, bï för trï trùngks. Dhat bï it. Keys klowzed."
"My dear friends," explained the fourth man. "This is no wall and this is no snake. This is no rope either. What we have here, gentlemen, is four tree trunks. That's it.
Case closed."

Fayvth blaynd man not bïed sow kwik tu_jùmp tu kònklüzhòns. Hi wöked ùp tu front ov elèfànt and fïled ov-anìmàl tü löng tùsks. "It sïm tu ay dhat dhis objekt bï meyked ùp ov tü sörds," seyed fayvth man. "Wàt ay bï holding bï löng and kùrved and shärp at end. I not bï shuèr wàt dhis kud-bï, bùt meybï ov-wi siksth frend kud-help wi.
The fifth blind man was not so quick to jump to conclusions. He walked up to the front of the elephant and felt the animal's two long tusks. "It seems to me that this
object is made up of two swords," said the fifth man. "What I am holding is long and curved and sharp at the end. I am not sure what this could be, but maybe our
sixth friend could help us."

Siksth blaynd man skrached ov-hi hed and thöt and thöt. Hi bïed wòn hü riàli bïed wayzest ov öl ov dhey. Hi bïed wòn hü riàli nowed wàt hi nowed, and nowed wàt hi not nowed.
The sixth blind man scratched his head and thought and thought. He was the one who really was the wisest of all of them. He was the one who really knew what he
knew, and knew what he didn't know.

Jùst dhen wòried zükïpèr wöked bay. "Hay dheèr! Haw bï yü enjoying zü tùdéy?", shi asked dhey öl. "Zü bï veri nays," replayed siksth blaynd man. "Pèrháps yü kud-help wi tu_figùr awt ansèr tu kweschòn dhat bï pùzèling wi."
Just then the worried zükïpèr walked by. "Hi there ! How are you enjoying the zoo today ?" she asked them all. "The zoo is very nice," replied the sixth blind
man. "Perhaps you could help us figure out the answer to a question that's been puzzling us."

"Shuèr thing," seyed zükïpèr, az shi fìrmli grabed ov-elèfànt kolàr.
"Sure thing," said the zükïpèr, as she firmly grabbed the elephant's collar.

"Ov-ay frends and ay not kan-sïm tu_figùr awt wàt dhis thing in front ov wi bï. Wòn ov wi thingk dhat it bï wöl; wòn thingk dhat it bï sneyk; wòn thingk dhat it bï för trùngks. Haw wòn thing kan-sïm sow difèrènt tu fayv difèrènt pïpèl?" "Wel," seyed zükïpèr. "Yü öl bï rayt. Dhis elèfànt sïm layk sòmthing difèrènt tu ïch ov yü. And ownli wey tu_now wàt dhis thing riàli bi, bï tu_dü igzáktli wàt yü haved düed. Ownli bay sheèring wàt ïch ov yü now yü posìbèli kan-rïch trü ùndèrstánding."
"My friends and I can't seem to figure out what this thing in front of us is. One of us thinks it's a wall; one thinks it's a snake; one thinks it's a rope, and one thinks it's
four tree trunks. How can one thing seem so different to five different people?" "Well," said the zükïpèr. "You are all right. This elephant seems like something
different to each one of you. And the only way to know what this thing really is, is to do exactly what you have done. Only by sharing what each of you knows can
you possibly reach a true understanding."

Siks ways mans haved tu_àgrî with wisdom ov zükïpèr. Fìrst fayv ov dhey haved bïed tü kwik tu_förm òpínyòn witháwt lisèning tu wàt òdhèrs haved tu_sey.
The six wise men had to agree with the wisdom of the zükïpèr. The first five of them had been too quick to form an opinion without listening to what the others
had to say.

Sow dhey öl gowed of tu zü restàrànt and haved riàli härti lùnch.
So they all went off to the zoo restaurant and had a really hearty lunch.

(Dhis störi bï wel-nowed feybèl from Indïa. Modèrnayzed and rïteled bay Fil Shàpírow).
(This story is a well-known fable from India. Modernized and re-told by Phil Shapiro)

Fil Shàpírow
Phil Shapiro

Kopirayt 1995
Copyright 1995

'ENSEMBLE OF EXERCISES'

'Match the Transitional English words with those in your native language. At times you will need to pay close attention to the affixes.'

'NOW, MATCH the question with the answer.'

Plïz, pleys wòrd in blangk speys, wen nesèseri, so dhat sentènses meyk sens. (Please, place word in blank space, when necessary, so that sentences make sense.) ' .'

1. Konstìtûshòn _______________ lïgàl dokyùmènt.

2. Plïz send tu ______________ browshúrs ov wòrld tur.

3. Bil ov Rayts pròtékt rayts ov ____________________.

4. Ay gow tu färmàsi tu __________________ medìsìns.

5. Wen ov-ay kid bï sik ay köl ______________________.

6. Evridey wi stùdi forèn langgwijes in ov-wi ___________________.

7. Last mònth bïed Jün. Dhis mònth bï ______________________.

8. Pleyn tikèt for trip tu Chicago kost naynti-fayv ______________________.

9. Pleyn lïv at nayn thìrti-fayv in mörning _______________ Lexington.

10. 'Gudèr leyt dhan nevèr,' bï pròvèrbs, az bï ölsow, 'öl mans bï krïéyted _____________'.

'As part of the transition from Transitional English to using Standard English, we offer here the Standard English alphabet. The letters are seen with their respective names given, for pronunciation purposes, in Transitional English. The following table will serve the beginner of English in being able to pronounce the letters of his/her name when asked to spell it.'

'The normal English alphabet has 26 letters which have the following names; click here to listen to them.'

'The sound of each of the 26 letters in the Standard English alphabet can vary from word to word, and at times may not even be pronounced, as for example, in thought ' ', where only thöt is articulated, and the letters ugh are omitted from pronunciation. It will be useful to consult Appendix 7 in order to verify the pronunciation of each word in the following readings, which are provided with Standard English spelling.'