It’s funny what odd things one remembers. When I was 13, I liked a probably not-well-known, one-season comedy series called Best of the West. One of the few quotes I do remember was this conversation between The Calico Kid played by Christopher Lloyd and the town Doc Kullens played by Tom Ewell. I always remember it when thinking about language learning and how difficult English spelling must be to learn.
Best of the West, Season 1 Episode 15: “The Calico Kid Goes to School”
Tom Ewell (Doc Kullens): Spell laugh.
Christopher Lloyd (The Calico Kid): Laugh. [spelling it out] L-A-L-F.
Tom Ewell (Doc Kullens): [Takes a long, slow drink from his hip flask] No.
Christopher Lloyd (The Calico Kid): How can that be? Calf is [spelling it out] C-A-L-F.
Tom Ewell (Doc Kullens): Yes.
Christopher Lloyd (The Calico Kid): Half is [spelling it out] H-A-L-F.
Tom Ewell (Doc Kullens): Yes.
Christopher Lloyd (The Calico Kid): Then laugh should be …
Christopher Lloyd (The Calico Kid): [interrupting; spelling it out] L-A-U-G-H.
Christopher Lloyd (The Calico Kid): No!
Tom Ewell (Doc Kullens): Yes.
Christopher Lloyd (The Calico Kid): Why?
Tom Ewell (Doc Kullens): Spite.
