h a l f b a k e r yBone to the bad.
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Since our alphabet was essentially designed by some Phoenicians about 3,000 years ago, I feel it is up for revision.
I propose that the letters of the alphabet be ordered by how often they occur in spoken English. This would make the new order:
e t a o i n s r h l d c u m f p g w y b v k x j q z.
This
would fix two of the things I don't like about the alphabet, namely the fact that m comes become n and that q comes in the middle of the alphabet rather than at the end. Plus, with a little modification, you could pronounce all 26 words make one or more pronounceable words.
Of course this would be different for each language, so we might base it off of Latin instead to avoid favoratism. This would still be largely the same and apply to most languages in Western Europe.
Wikipedia: Letter frequencies
http://en.wikipedia.../Letter_frequencies
One of many possible references, slightly at odds with the poster's list. [jutta, Oct 13 2005]
Letter frequencies in English language
http://deafandblind.../word_frequency.htm
My source [discontinuuity, Oct 13 2005]
It's possible to have a pet peve, however
http://www.ibch.ru/lgr/planarian.htm
A virus in a flatworm [Ling, Oct 13 2005]
The Decibet
http://snltranscrip...75/75rdecabet.phtml
A SNL skit from the 70's. [Cedar Park, Oct 13 2005]
The Diving Bell & The Butterfly
http://www.amazon.c...e&n=283155&v=glance
a book "dictated" by an almost 100% paralysed man, who blinked when the correct letter was recited in a frequency-ordered alphabet. [calum, Oct 13 2005]
[link]
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QWERTYUIOP etc would seem to be an existing alternative order, even if originally it was designed to slow typists down. |
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Did you have a reference for the order in your description? Or was it arbitrary? |
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This is the order of how frequently they occur in spoken English. Of course there are other orders you could base it off of; I think the Wikidedia article is based on the frequency of letters in newspaper text. And it really does bother me that the alphabet doesn't work the way I think it should -- just one of my pet peeves I guess. |
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I think "favourite annoyance" sounds better than "pet peeve". |
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Anyway, see link for a pet that ought to be easy to look after. |
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I say adopt the Metric Alphabet, also known as the Decibet. |
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"Honey, would you lmnopen the door?" |
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I've never heard the phrase "favourite annoyance." It sounds like a bit of an oxymoron to me. |
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