Etaoin Shrdlu is a somewhat infamous phrase among language enthusiasts. It is pronounced eh-tay-oh-in shird-loo and is believed to be the twelve most common letters in English, in order of most frequently used to least frequently used.
The expression came about from linotype typesetting machines. Were one to run a finger down the first and then second left-hand vertical banks of six keys on a linotype machine, it would produce the words etaoin shrdlu. Linotype machines were sometimes tested in this manner. Once in a while, a careless linotype machine operator would fail to throw his test lines away, and that phrase would mysteriously show up in published material. The full sequence is etaoin shrdlu cmfgyp wbvkxj qz.
That makes sense. They're into old-school printing technology.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2007-02-10 09:48 pm (UTC)Etaoin Shrdlu is a somewhat infamous phrase among language enthusiasts.
It is pronounced eh-tay-oh-in shird-loo and is believed to be the twelve
most common letters in English, in order of most frequently used to least
frequently used.
The expression came about from linotype typesetting machines.
Were one to run a finger down the first and then second left-hand vertical
banks of six keys on a linotype machine, it would produce the words etaoin shrdlu.
Linotype machines were sometimes tested in this manner.
Once in a while, a careless linotype machine operator would fail to throw
his test lines away, and that phrase would mysteriously show up in
published material.
The full sequence is etaoin shrdlu cmfgyp wbvkxj qz.
That makes sense. They're into old-school printing technology.