The answer partly depends on whether we are talking about the sounds or letters of vowels and consonants. By mentioning “alphabetic languages”, the questioner is presumably asking why most versions of ...

Our complex speech may have originated from life in the trees. The first analysis of the evolution of consonants suggests their roots may be linked to an arboreal lifestyle, hinting that our ancestors ...

Last week's challenge: Last week's challenge comes from listener Jim Bricker, of Wayland, Mass. Think of three common six-letter words that have vowels in the second and fifth positions. The last five ...