A large part of the spelling problem is attributed to the written language, which has not kept pace with the spoken language. A vast majority of words are still written as they were 400 years ago, or more, despite the pronunciation of them sounding quite different to how one might interpret them from reading. e.g. knight, knee, knife, Wednesday, Colonel. These words were once pronounced as they are written.
What I have come to realise over the past decade or two from viewing many forums from around the world, is how poor we Australians are at language. The Americans and the English are far, far superior to us in the written word. I am just amazed by words they come out with, many of which I never knew existed. But yet, the American spoken language is atrocious, I can barely understand most Americans when they are speaking. Americans from a very early age are taught the "Power of Language". Australia really needs to pick up its game.
