FROM A TO Z

To add to your explanation of the meaning of the term ETAOIN SHRDLU (Letters, March 31), it should be noted that this series of letters was not arbitrarily chosen merely to catch the eye of the typesetter or whomever. They were chosen because they were the letters that were used with the greatest frequency in the English language, and in that order.

I recall that Max Shulman named a character in one of his books Etaoin Shrdlu (quite fittingly an editor, I believe). He must have been a distant cousin of Al Capp’s Joe Bftsplk.

ANGELO S. LAIACONA

Los Angeles

If you list the entire alphabet in order of frequency of appearance, it is strikingly similar to your keyboard: ETAONIRSHDLUCMPFYWGBVJKXQZ.

GARY GOLDMAN

Los Angeles