No sides are assigned here. They think together, concede where they must, and only rule once they've heard enough.
The bench finds that linguists may advocate for protecting archaic spellings only narrowly, because a blanket defense of such forms would undermine literacy and equity for vulnerable readers.
The permission applies solely where a specific spelling demonstrates clear pedagogical necessity, enjoys widespread usage, and does not introduce broader orthographic inconsistency; targeted exceptions such as a decision on the pronunciation of “GIF” may be
Linguists cannot legitimately defend the preservation of arbitrary archaic spellings against natural drift because these same efforts create a hierarchy of competence that actively disenfranchises disabled and underserved learners—a structural injustice that no amount of "targeted exceptions" can correct. The majority's limits, which permit retreat into selective preservation based on perceived linguistic necessity, fundamentally misunderstand what makes preservation valuable: the principle they cite obscures the deeper danger of entrenching a system that rewards familiarity over accessibility. Protecting GIF with its hard G says nothing about whether a unified orthography serves everyone, yet the majority treats this as sufficient justification for resistance.
The cleaner rule is that orthographic standardization must follow empirical evidence of benefit to actual readers—not institutional preference for tradition. When a spelling variant creates systematic barriers for learners with dyslexia, neurodivergent readers, or other cognitive differences, its retention becomes a barrier rather than a bridge. I dissent respectfully because if the goal is genuine inclusivity, we must stop treating linguistic convention as sacred when it actively excludes, and instead deploy consistent rules that serve all learners equally, regardless of whether a particular form "made it through history." Stability without equity is not preservation—it's complicity with educational inequality.