Abecedarius

An abecedarius (also abecedary and abecedarian) is a special type of acrostic in which the first letter of every word, strophe or verse follows the order of the letters in the alphabet.

Etymology

"Abecedarius" (or "abecedarium") is a Medieval Latin word meaning "ABC primer", derived by adding the suffix "-arius" (-a, -um) to the names of the first four letters of the alphabet (a+b+c+d). According to the OED, the earliest use of its English cognate, "abecedary", dates back at least to the mid-15th century, preceding the first usage of "abecedarian" which, as an adjective meaning "arranged in alphabetical order", can be first attested in 1665. The related adjective "alphabetic" (from Ancient Greek) has been used interchangeably with "abecedarian" since at least the 17th century.

Origins

The abecedarius is most probably the oldest type of acrostic. Its origins have been linked to either the sacred nature of letters and the mystical significance of these types of arrangements or its didactic use as a mnemonic and instructive device for children. Indeed, this second type of abecedarii, mostly in the form of rhythmic arrangements or songs, is still popular and widely used tool to teach children the alphabet or other concepts.

Use in literature

Ancient literature

The oldest abecedarii found are of Semitic origin. In fact, all of the confirmed acrostics in the Hebrew Bible are alphabetic. These occur in four of the five chapters that make up the Book of Lamentations, in the praise of the good wife in Proverbs 31:10-31, and in Psalms 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145.