Memorandum
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.