Discussion *ahem*

[Inferdan]

You do realise there's no real reason for the alphabet to be in order.

 

[Leech]

 

[esse_est_percipi]

"Scholars have plenty of hypotheses about the order, relating to everything from astrology, musical scales, numbers, and poetry. Here are some of the ideas that have floated around among alphabet academics:

The first alphabet developed in Egypt might have been adapted from some part of the enormous system of Egyptian hieroglyphics, so it could be that the Egyptian system informed the order, too.
*
The ancient order was a long mnemonic device. Early users strung the letters together to correspond to the words of a mnemonic sentence or storyline.
*
In Semitic Writing: From Pictograph to Alphabet GR Driver touches on several explanations he's come across, from "astral or lunar theories" to the order "representing a didactic poem" or being "based on the notation of the Sumerian musical scales."
*
David Diringer, in The Alphabet: A Key to the History of Mankind, suggests that there's no reason at all: "…it is highly probable that the matter has no particular significance...There is some appearance of phonetic grouping in the order of the letters of the North Semitic alphabet, but this may be accidental."
*
The alphabet may have had a numerical component, and the order is reverse-engineered to the follow and match the numbers that the letters represented for merchants. Later civilizations hung on to the obsolete order for convenience's sake."
(Quoted from an article)

 

[Soul]

There used to be a letter called elemeno.

 

[Deleted member 19276]

Though I have to admit that you do have a point... I know that even time itself, has no reason to flow in one direction too.
It's a very philosophical thing when it comes down to it all, really. :)

 

[XYZ]

You mean I might just as well call myself ZYX? Noooooo....

 

[BPD Barbie]

My head hurts now

 

[Lorntroubles]

*ahem*

 

[Inferdan]

"Scholars have plenty of hypotheses about the order, relating to everything from astrology, musical scales, numbers, and poetry. Here are some of the ideas that have floated around among alphabet academics:

The first alphabet developed in Egypt might have been adapted from some part of the enormous system of Egyptian hieroglyphics, so it could be that the Egyptian system informed the order, too.
*
The ancient order was a long mnemonic device. Early users strung the letters together to correspond to the words of a mnemonic sentence or storyline.
*
In Semitic Writing: From Pictograph to Alphabet GR Driver touches on several explanations he's come across, from "astral or lunar theories" to the order "representing a didactic poem" or being "based on the notation of the Sumerian musical scales."
*
David Diringer, in The Alphabet: A Key to the History of Mankind, suggests that there's no reason at all: "…it is highly probable that the matter has no particular significance...There is some appearance of phonetic grouping in the order of the letters of the North Semitic alphabet, but this may be accidental."
*
The alphabet may have had a numerical component, and the order is reverse-engineered to the follow and match the numbers that the letters represented for merchants. Later civilizations hung on to the obsolete order for convenience's sake."
(Quoted from an article)

Well, you've rendered me speechless. Not by shock or surprise, but I don't know a good way to respond I, however, love this. Thank you for sharing it

There used to be a letter called elemeno.

Oh, no, it still exists. However, it is only used by the child who has begun to learn the language. Later on, they grow and promptly forget about it, moving on to the more sophisticated and complicated world of teens and adults. Only some can recall it on a whim.

View attachment 41984

Though I have to admit that you do have a point... I know that even time itself, has no reason to flow in one direction too.
It's a very philosophical thing when it comes down to it all, really. :)

Very true...kind of leads back towards the questioning of reality, and what the truth is.
I guess we can only speculate and guess for now.

You mean I might just as well call myself ZYX? Noooooo....

Oh, names don't change. It's simply the alphabet itself. Though if you count yourself as part of it...

My head hurts now

Truly mind-blown, I see. Still, sorry I caused it maybe drink some water or take some Panadol (it's allI can think of, hope it gets better)

*ahem*

*coughs in a suggestive manner*

 

[KleinerWolf]

Yes.

 

[Inferdan]

Yes.
View attachment 42039

o_o

 

[Lorntroubles]

*Ah-hhh-hhhH-HHHh-em* are you cough-flirting?

Btw, that was a mucus throat clearing.

 

[KleinerWolf]

*rona has entered the chat*

 

[waterbottleman]

Maybe it's just because I'm stoned but isn't the order of the alphabet a meaningless aspect of it?

It's not like if you changed the order of the alphabet any words in any language that use that alphabet would change. The alphabet would still have the same 26 letters, it would still be the same set of letters.

So why is there an order at all in the alphabet? Is the only purpose for the alphabet having an order is that it makes it inherently easier to remember?

 

[Deleted member 1465]

...which raises the question in my mind...what other order should the letters go in, if not the order they are already in, ie. random/alphabetical?

 

[Lorntroubles]

...which raises the question in my mind...what other order should the letters go in, if not the order they are already in, ie. random/alphabetical?

No. Bad. My mind hurts.

 

[Inferdan]

Maybe it's just because I'm stoned but isn't the order of the alphabet a meaningless aspect of it?

It's not like if you changed the order of the alphabet any words in any language that use that alphabet would change. The alphabet would still have the same 26 letters, it would still be the same set of letters.

So why is there an order at all in the alphabet? Is the only purpose for the alphabet having an order is that it makes it inherently easier to remember?

Besides the article shared, it may be just that. It even has its own jingle taught to us when we were kids, which whenever we think about it, some of us may still think of it in the order of the song (elemeno :p)

...which raises the question in my mind...what other order should the letters go in, if not the order they are already in, ie. random/alphabetical?

That is not something easily done...

 

[Deleted member 1465]

That is not something easily done...

And that may be why they are in a 'random alphabetical' order. Maybe that is the answer to all sorts of 'Why are things like they are?' questions. Because things have to organised some way, otherwise they wouldn't exist. We seek reason and order in things which have no need to possess such things, at least not to the extent our nature demands that we ask.