<P> Before chemistry became a science, alchemists had designed arcane symbols for both metals and common compounds . These were however used as abbreviations in diagrams or procedures; there was no concept of atoms combining to form molecules . With his advances in the atomic theory of matter, John Dalton devised his own simpler symbols, based on circles, to depict molecules . </P> <P> The current system of chemical notation was invented by Berzelius . In this typographical system, chemical symbols are not mere abbreviations--though each consists of letters of the Latin alphabet . They are intended as universal symbols for people of all languages and alphabets . </P> <P> The first of these symbols were intended to be fully universal . Since Latin was the common language of science at that time, they were abbreviations based on the Latin names of metals . Cu comes from Cuprum, Fe comes from Ferrum, Ag from Argentum . The symbols were not followed by a period (full stop) as with abbreviations . Later chemical elements were also assigned unique chemical symbols, based on the name of the element, but not necessarily in English . For example, sodium has the chemical symbol' Na' after the Latin natrium . The same applies to "W" (wolfram) for tungsten, "Fe" (ferrum) for iron, "Hg" (hydrargyrum) for mercury, "Sn" (stannum) for tin, "K" (kalium) for potassium, "Au" (aurum) for gold, "Ag" (argentum) for silver, "Pb" (plumbum) for lead, "Cu" (cuprum) for copper, and "Sb" (stibium) for antimony . </P> <P> Chemical symbols are understood internationally when element names might require translation . There have sometimes been differences in the past . For example, Germans in the past have used "J" (for the alternate name Jod) for iodine, but now use "I" and "Iod". </P>

The abbreviated name of an element is called