Re: Acrostic What is it?

From: Paul Zellmer (zellmer@digitelone.com)
Date: Sat Feb 12 2000 - 06:57:04 EST


Steve Puluka asked:

> Sorry for being slow on the uptake here, but I actually just looked
this up
> in webster's. What to my surprise, but the Hebrew verse of the Psalms
is
> definition number two!
>
> Number one is from the Greek AKROSTICHOS, a construction, usually in
verse,
> where a certain letter of each line spells the name, title or motto of
the
> subject of the verse.
>
> Is anyone aware of any examples of this construction in Greek, or any
other
> langauge for that matter?

I know of none off hand in (biblical or classical) Greek, Steve, but the
use of acrostics in this manner is very common among children's programs
around the world. It got a bit tedious, but I recall one Vacation Bible
School program in the Philippines that spelled out an entire sentence in
an acrostic.

Another famous one in American English is the Mother's Day song: "M is
for the ..."

HTH,

Paul

----

Paul and Dee Zellmer, Jimmy Guingab, Geoffrey Beltran Ibanag Translation Project Cabagan, Isabela, Rep. of Philippines

zellmer@digitelone.com

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