Spelling systems that do not change with the sound changes of a language are often more difficult for a learner to learn how to read in that language. These kinds of spellings are called fossilized spellings. These include spelling systems like English, French, Mongolian script, and Thai. All of these spelling systems have changed little for the past few hundred years, even though their spoken languages sound very different from how they used to sound. Spelling systems that change with the sound changes are often easier for a learner to learn how to read. These languages include Japanese, Turkish, and German.