# Why alphabetical order?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-alphabetical-order/151590
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 30, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-alphabetical-order/151590 "2003-01-30T12:45:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![tandoori\_megan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@tandoori\_megan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tandoori_megan)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-alphabetical-order/151590/1 "2003-01-30T12:45:33Z")

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I have often wondered this: where did alphabetical order originate? Why is ‘m’ before ‘n’, instead of ‘a’ or ‘r’, for instance?  
Any ideas?

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### Author: ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-alphabetical-order/151590/2 "2003-01-30T12:55:03Z")

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It’s a long story… Some of it is discussed in your neighbourly thread [Alphabetical Order](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=159439), that was started just a few hours ago.

Normally we harass people who don’t search the archive, but as a newbie we cut you some slack.

Let’s diverge any discussion on alphabetic origins to that thread tough.

There’s a link to a very nifty graphic in that other thread. Do have a look!

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### Author: ![tandoori\_megan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@tandoori\_megan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tandoori_megan)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-alphabetical-order/151590/3 "2003-01-30T15:32:49Z")

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Doh…I did search the archive, but obviously didn’t do a good enough job of it.  
I’ll check the next thread, thanks! 🙂

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### Author: ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-alphabetical-order/151590/4 "2003-01-30T15:46:43Z")

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[Steven Wright]  
Why is the alphabet in that order?

You think it’s because of that song?  
[/Steven Wright]

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### Author: ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-alphabetical-order/151590/5 "2003-01-30T16:59:33Z")

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Since this is already being discussed in [Alphabetical Order](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=159439), I’ll close this thread.

Thanks, **Popup**.

**DrMatrix** - general Questions Moderator