THE COMBINATIONAL KEYBOARD 311 



NS (1,619), MP (1,389), SP (1,066), XP (959). QU (907), SC (897). DIS (713). 

 CK (588), NESS (462), MB (386), SM (248), SW (178), BJ (172). Total 

 occurrences, 86,897. 



The suffixes " tion " (2,900) and " sion " (445), not included in the above, 

 were separately combed out ; but, as their common element is the diphthong 

 10, their numbers are included in the 4,348 occurrences of the latter com- 

 bination given in the Third (or diphthongal) Series. The terminals -ED, 

 -ES, -NESS, and the initials QU-, DIS-, are, like " tion " and " sion," partly 

 vowel and partly consonantal in structure ; but as, like the purely consonantal 

 combinations, they never vary from a fixed order in words, we have classified 

 them with the consonantal Series as being of a fixed character. 



Second Series : VARIABLE — consisting of the letters L and R in close 

 union with the five vowels. L + vowels (23,202), and R + vowels (41,320). 

 Total occurrences, 64,522. These combinations are so varied, interesting, 

 characteristic and universal as to form one of the most beautiful and con- 

 vincing proofs of the superiority of the new keyboard. 



Third Series : VARIABLE — Diphthongal Combinations. 



OU (5,414). EA (4.496), 10-01 (4,348), AI-IA (3,083). EI-IE (3,020), 

 AU-UA (1,066), OA-AO (315) = 21,742 occurrences. 



Other diphthongal combinations of less frequency, e.g. EO, EU, UI, etc., 

 have not been combed out, but, occur as often as they may, are taken close 

 together on our keyboard. 



For ease of fingering and writing, it is desirable that the respective letters 

 of which each combination is composed should be placed, as regards the 

 most powerful combinations, on the same line of the keyboard next together, 

 or, as regards the less powerful combinations, with only one intervening 

 letter between their two components. It was impossible to get all the 38 

 combinations equated on the same lines, but, subject to the inevitable com- 

 promises which keyboard arranging begets, it will be found that, with few 

 exceptions, the most frequently used combinations are equated, the greater 

 number of them being on the middle and upper lines of the kevboard, e.g. 

 Middle line: EA, ES, ST, TH, SH, WH, SW, and BJ (in all 43,335 occur- 

 rences). Upper line: ND, NG, OU, lO-OI, and QU (25,700). Bottom 

 line : LY, MP, XP, CK (5,488) — a total number of 74,483 occurrences from 

 these seventeen equated combinations. 



An examination of the GENERAL TABLE OF COMBINATIONS 

 shows the letter H to be one of the root letters of our Language in its com- 

 binational aptitudes, entering as it does into fixed union with five other 

 letters — namely, TH, SH, WH, CH, GH-T ; and special care has been taken 

 to locate it on the keyboard in accordance with their requirements. It 

 constantly follows directly after these letters, and its numerical force is 

 chiefly used up in the writing of these combinations. Hence, its place on 

 the keyboard is not so close to the central vowel E and other vowels as its 

 numerical value might seem to demand ; nor could it be placed closer with- 

 out displacing letters of greater numerical value than itself. One of its 

 combinations — TH — is by much the most powerful of all the consonantal 

 combinations, its only rival in frequencies being the L and R -f- vowel com- 

 binations. The H group of combinations yields a total number of 34,374 

 occurrences. 



The letter N is another of the root combinational letters of our Language, 

 and, regarded from the point of view of all its relationships, much more 

 powerful than H, though less potent in its purely consonantal combinations. 

 Like H, it also unites with five other consonants — ND, NG, NT, NS, NC. 

 The ND combination in particular is second only to TH in frequency of use, 

 and all its other combinations are of common use, especially NG as forming 

 the present participle ending. The total number of its consonantal combina- 



