The Periodic Table of the Alphabet

Note that Column I consists of the 5 vowels: A, E, I, 0, U. No less striking is the group of 5 velar consonants (the K-family) in Column Ill: C, G, K, Q, X. Column IVa contains the semi-vowels (H, L, R, Y) and Column IVb the dental consonants (D, N, T). Note that Column Va consists of the sibilants, S and Z. Finally, Column 11 features the labials or lip consonants (B, F, P) and the "rare-labial series" of V and W (called "double vee" in most languages). The fact that J is in Column II, whereas M is not, is clearly a case of experi­ mental error, which is readily rectified by the simple expedient of interchang­ ing the positions of J and M!