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The alphabet

(24 Posts)
minxie Wed 30-Dec-20 09:43:23

Can you put an argument to bed please Ladies
If I said to you pick a letter above R what would you say.
Very random I know, but I’m interested, but apparently w do it wrong

mcem Wed 30-Dec-20 09:52:15

I'd say before or after R - not 'above'.

Marydoll Wed 30-Dec-20 09:53:44

Not sure what you mean, but I would say, choose a letter before R.

Lucca Wed 30-Dec-20 10:02:16

I do not know what you mean either ! But I’d say before/after

FannyCornforth Wed 30-Dec-20 10:07:51

I think that I see where you are coming from, or getting at.

If the alphabet is listed ie horizontally, letters A to Q are above R.
Literally and physically above
the letter R.

If the alphabet is written in a vertical line, letters S to Z are seen as being above R.
In this case we understand the letters as being written like numbers, so we use the concepts and terms above and below.

It's all a matter of perception.
Does this make sense?
Is this what you mean minxie?

FannyCornforth Wed 30-Dec-20 10:09:10

Sorry. DAMN! I got horizontal and vertical mixed up! tchangry
Oh for an edit button!tchenvy

Marydoll Wed 30-Dec-20 10:16:13

I'm now even more confused, FC ?

FannyCornforth Wed 30-Dec-20 10:22:06

Oh I know Mary!
I need a bit of paper, tell you what - pass me that whiteboard and pen! tchsmile

Marydoll Wed 30-Dec-20 10:23:15

Now you are talking!!!!!

FannyCornforth Wed 30-Dec-20 10:33:12

tchgrin Aah, I'll be your TA Mary.
I'm a good teacher, but I was brilliant, nay outstanding TA!

minxie Wed 30-Dec-20 10:34:12

Sorry what I mean is, I always see the alphabet vertically, but I was told it was wrong. We were playing a word game and I said ‘ the next word has to be before R as it had to be in alphabetical order. Does that make sense

FannyCornforth Wed 30-Dec-20 10:39:18

Yes, we are barking up the same tree...
Possibly...tchwink

FannyCornforth Wed 30-Dec-20 10:40:21

Hang on, was 'w' in your op a mistake?

EMMF1948 Wed 30-Dec-20 10:47:30

Marydoll

Not sure what you mean, but I would say, choose a letter before R.

Choose as an improvement on pick? The son of a TV personality, now on the sex offenders register, the father not the son, was in a friend's primary school class and he said to the class If the boys stay behind at break we'll pick the football team. The obnoxious son put his hand up and said Sir, my father says one picks one's nose, one selects a football team.

Lexisgranny Wed 30-Dec-20 10:48:02

I would probably say “P” - thinking it was one of those questions like - What is your favourite vegetable? When the majority of those replying say “carrot”.

Interesting that you teachers (Doubtless quite rightly) answered from a totally different perspective.

Marydoll Wed 30-Dec-20 10:59:33

I have always been open to being corrected and happy to change , as long as the corrector can back up their statement. wink

I'm now scrutinizing my post for grammatical errors. ?

Jaxjacky Wed 30-Dec-20 11:04:01

I would have said S.

Callistemon Wed 30-Dec-20 11:17:14

I would have said M

Going from top to bottom of the alphabet
A-Z
Alpha - Omega

I suppose it's how you see it in your mind's eye.

minxie Wed 30-Dec-20 11:26:44

Yes sorry I meant I not w.
I guess it just seems the way you look at it yourself,
It caused quite a storm here!!

Bellanonna Wed 30-Dec-20 12:21:13

I would only see it as before of after. But if you used “above” to me I would interpret that as between A and Q.

Lolo81 Wed 30-Dec-20 14:17:22

Above R to me would mean s-z. I have no idea why I interpreted it that way tbh.
Agree with others would be more inclined to use before/after.

BlueBelle Wed 30-Dec-20 14:29:44

Before R would be A to Q after R would be S to Z if you are seeing it horizontally which most people would as you d write along a line unless you’re Japanese
Above R would be A to Q and below R would be S to Z if you are imagining a vertical alphabet but why would you have a vertical alphabet unless you were designing a picture or something

But to be honest I ve know idea what the question means or is about

Nell8 Fri 01-Jan-21 09:09:11

Hi minxie I don't understand "a letter above R" and don't remember hearing that expression used in connection with letters of the alphabet. I'd use "above" for numbers to imply a higher value.

grandtanteJE65 Tue 05-Jan-21 12:55:16

I suppose, Minxie, if you always vizualise the alphabet vertically than saying the letter above r makes sense.

To me it is confusing, as I vizualise the alphabet horizontally.

In Primary one we didn't have a table of the alphabet, but pictures A a for apple etc. which the teacher replaced with the nest letter - they were on some kind of flip-over system.

This way be why I see the alphabet in a straight line from A ot Z.