Please don’t be provoked by the use of “simplified spelling.” It helpt
me cram much more in the compass of this book than could have been done
with the use of some of our superannuated forms. Besides, simplification
is the order of the day, and we might as well get used to it, every one
of us. And, again, only the less jarring and those surest of early
adoption have been used: there’s a concession to conservatism and “the
conventions”.
Neither permit the abbreviation of repetitions of index-words to the
initial letters thereof to confuse you. The eye catches the sense and
simplicity of the scheme quickly enough (the brain should be no less
nimble)—and the eye must not be offended. Besides, this has saved me
more space than “simplified spelling”.
Please notice, further, that this is not a pronouncing dictionary. Most
people in the trade don’t need this feature, thru daily familiarity with
the terms, even tho they may not thoroly understand them—which is
nothing unusual. And so, to keep as many “high-browed” features out of
the way as was possible, and to make this just a handy look-into book
for everyday folks (such a book as I have longed for for my own use)
pronunciation, grammar-classing, and such like devices of the weary
big-books were deemed superfluous and dropt. You will have to go to
them, anyway, on some subjects which this book treats briefly—why tire
you beforehand?—W. H. B.