Home Items.
University Meeting.
A meeting of the Chancellor and Board of Regents of the Deseret University was held last evening and Elder Orson Pratt informed the Board that, after four months continuous labor, he had completed the translation of the Book of Mormon from the present orthography and Roman characters into the characters of the Deseret alphabet and the improved orthography. Elder R.L. Campbell was appointed by the Chancellor to assist Elder Orson Pratt in the revision of the work, with a view to its speedy publication.
[Deseret News, Mar. 10, 1869]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Dec. 2006]
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Items.
Departure.
Elder Orson Pratt left this morning for New York. He goes to superintend the publishing of the Book of Mormon in the characters of the Deseret Alphabet, and probably will not be home again before fall, as the labor he is now called to engage in will necessarily occupy some months. We wish him every success in this educational mission, and a safe and pleasant journey. He was accompanied by Elders Johan Carl Larsen, George W. Groo and Granville Gillett, who were called on missions to Europe at our last Conference. While we refer to Elder Pratt’s departure we hope that his labors may be appreciated by the community, and that they will manifest their interest in this educational movement so long advocated by President Young by having their children taught the Deseret Alphabet.
[Deseret News, Apr. 28, 1869]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Dec. 2006]
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Local and Other Matters.
Book of Mormon in Phonetics.
As a result of the labors of Elder Orson Pratt—which must have been very severe during the past summer—the Book of Mormon, entire, is now translated from the ordinary English orthography, into Phonetics. This is the greatest stride yet made in the world towards phonetic reform. For over thirty years the Phoneticians in England and this country have been laboring constantly for the introduction of phonetics and the advancement of phonetic reform. In England the Phonetic Journal, edited by Mr. Pitman, of Bath, has been published for many years, and latterly, we believe, this gentleman has printed the New Testament in the same characters. The Deseret Alphabet, though differing in form from the phonetic characters invented by Mr. Pitman, is precisely the same in principle; and the people of Utah have set an example worthy of imitation by all the English-speaking nations of the earth, in having printed sometime since, first and second readers, and now the Book of Mormon on this principle. It will do more towards spreading a correct style of speaking English among the polyglottian people of this Territory than anything else ever attempted.
[Deseret News, Oct. 6, 1869]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Dec. 2006]