Classic SNL sketch proposes the 'Decabet'

"The 'trash letters...' would make a common stop sign look like this." (Source: SNL Studios/NBC)

(WAFF) - NBC's flagship comedy series "Saturday Night Live' completed its 40th season this past month, and we wanted to take a moment or two to highlight a classic sketch from its early years that has a distinctive word-lover's flair to it.

Dan Aykroyd appears as a representative of the U.S. Council of Standards and Measures, a group that, he says, intended to convert the country to the metric system.

That conversion would also apply to the alphabet, with our standard 26-letter system condensed to a handy (you can count 'em!) 10 letters.

Condensing is certainly what happens, as Aykroyd's character gives us a primer in how our language would change under the metric alphabet - including words featuring the smashing together of letters P-Z, "the trash letters," he calls them, into a "single, dark character."

Our favorites: "Honey, would you LMNOpen the door," and "I caught a big efish."

Note: LMNOight, though it looks like it would be pronounced L-M-N-oight, is actually pronounced "Light."

A similar silent letter appears in "Ghotel" (hotel).

To watch this sketch in its entirety on mobile, click here.