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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Acronyms again what is the oldest?...
It just occurred to me that I have no recollection of any discussion of the oldest acronym (or initialism).
I googled and found on the first page: ICHTHUS and SPQR, this latter being called in the item heading "the oldest acronym in current use", though its current usage might be disputed.
Also, http://www.curiousnotions.com/home/mene.html , I always pictured this as an acronym (in English language, though, and in my minds' eye.
I was familiar with ICHTHUS, but wondered if INRI in the Christian mode mightn't be older, or if it is something made up later, after the Christians came out from underground.
"The letters "INRI" are initials for the Latin title that Pontius Pilate had written over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:19). Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire. The words were "Iesus Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm." Latin uses "I" instead of the English "J", and "V" instead of "U" (i.e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum). The English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
The Early Church adopted the first letters of each word of this inscription "INRI" as a symbol. Throughout the centuries INRI has appeared in many paintings of the crucifixion.
By the way, Pilate's title for Christ was actually written in three languages. etc." http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t024.html
I googled and found on the first page: ICHTHUS and SPQR, this latter being called in the item heading "the oldest acronym in current use", though its current usage might be disputed.
Also, http://www.curiousnotions.com/home/mene.html , I always pictured this as an acronym (in English language, though, and in my minds' eye.
I was familiar with ICHTHUS, but wondered if INRI in the Christian mode mightn't be older, or if it is something made up later, after the Christians came out from underground.
"The letters "INRI" are initials for the Latin title that Pontius Pilate had written over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:19). Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire. The words were "Iesus Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm." Latin uses "I" instead of the English "J", and "V" instead of "U" (i.e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum). The English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
The Early Church adopted the first letters of each word of this inscription "INRI" as a symbol. Throughout the centuries INRI has appeared in many paintings of the crucifixion.
By the way, Pilate's title for Christ was actually written in three languages. etc." http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t024.html
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5 Answers
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In article (Email Removed), Pat Durkin (Email Removed) writes
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Ah, yes. I understand what we, in our small world of AUE and AEU have agreed to as definitions for acronyms and initialisms, and I normally will conform. Look, however, for "SPQR acronym" in google, and then "SPQR initialism". Then reverse the terms, and find out about the larger internet world. Then try "oldest acronym" and "oldest initialism" and see how far you get.
But that was my qu
But that was my qu
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Another old religious one... Alan Bennett reckoned that 'BRA' - the first three letters of the Bible - were an acronym of the Trinity. Alan
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I'm afraid it goes a little wider than 'our small world of aue and aeu'. Authoritative Dictionaries such as OED, M-W and Collins agree that an acronym is a word or pronounceable name formed from the initial letters of other words. Fowler's usage concurs. SPQR is an initialism, like FBI. UNESCO and AIDS are acronyms. In time, the definition may change as usage changes but I am not personally prepa
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[nq:1]rules of the language. Nobody in a right state of mind pronounces SPQR as a word without rupturing their tonsils.[/nq]
Unless his name is SPQR-to-animals.
Wes Groleau
"Grant me the serenity to accept those I cannot change; the courage to change the one I can;
and the wisdom to know it's me."
unknown
Unless his name is SPQR-to-animals.
Wes Groleau
"Grant me the serenity to accept those I cannot change; the courage to change the one I can;
and the wisdom to know it's me."
unknown
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