acrostics-what is it?

Maurice A. O'Sullivan mauros at iol.ie
Mon Jan 24 07:36:39 EST 2000


At 05:34 24/01/00 -0600, Carl W. Conrad wrote:
>I don't know of a New Testament example either, but it is said that the
>Greek word for "fish" , ICQUS, was an acrostic representing a credal
>formula because each letter of this word in succession yielded the initial
>letters of the five words of the creed about Jesus:


Surely, Carl, this is more of an acronym than an acrostic?

In an acroynmm _every_ letter stands for a word, whereas the various SOED 
definitions of an acrostic don't envisage _every_ letter being used.

1 A poem or other composition in which the initial (single acrostic), the 
initial and final (double acrostic), or the initial, middle, and final 
(triple acrostic) letters of the lines make words. L16.b A word-puzzle so 
made. L19.<unknown>2 The beginning or end of a verse. E17–M18.3 A poem in 
which the consecutive lines or verses begin with the successive letters of 
the alphabet. L17.B adj. Of the nature of or in the form of an acrostic. M17.


Maurice

Maurice A. O'Sullivan  [ Bray, Ireland ]
mauros at iol.ie

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