In a first for an english-speaking country, the Government of New Zealand is on the verge of adopting an alphabet different from the familiar set of 26 letters.
From February, primary schools across the country will teach a new 25 letter version, which does not feature the letter 'I'.
"English is a wonderful language and has served us well for years. It's also flexible enough to be adapted to local conditions." the country's Education Minister Anne Tolly told reporters.
"We don't used the letter as other countries do, we pronounce it as a 'U', and research indicates our children have problems recognising any words containing it, as when they say them, our accents replaces it with a 'U' sounds."
Existing text books across the country will still feature the letter 'I' and will be replaced as the first generation of pupils educated under the new alphabet grow up. Plans have also been unveiled to completely replace every roadsign across the country on a rolling basis as well.
But the new alphabet's not going down well with traditionalists. Brian Harris is from the Preservation of English Society, based in Auckland.
"This is absolutely ridiculous. What's ext, the abolition of certain numbers because people don't use them? Quite frankly, this plan's been thought up and implemented by a bunch of shuts."
