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stranger
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OP
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What is the word or phrase called when each letter is the first word of something else? (as in: "I CHOOSE" = Integrity, Character, Hard work, Ownership, Opportunity, Service, Education)
(btw - these values comprise the philosophy of Booker T. Washington.)
(I know I should know this... I'm having a senior moment.
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addict
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addict
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acrostic I knew this, but just for fun, I tried www.onelook.com's reverse dictionary. I entered - starting letter spells - and it came up with acrostic as its first guess. I'm amazed because it usually doesn't work that well 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Hey, Ron, welcome aBoard! Are you looking for "acronym"?
EDIT: Myr, you jumped in ahead of me! [mock glare e] Ah well, you're probably right.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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i've heard of both words but i don't know what is the difference between acrostic and acronym.  jackie: looking forward to Louisville's big day?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I always thought an acrostic was the game form of acronym?
formerly known as etaoin...
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There is a type of puzzle called an acrostic which is a completely different beast. You answer clues. Each answer letter has a number (not in order). You put the letters in the order of the numbers and it spells out a quote or a joke.
The OP's thing is also called an acrostic. For example:
An Acrostic by Edgar Allan Poe
Elizabeth it is in vain you say
"Love not" — thou sayest it in so sweet a way:
In vain those words from thee or L.E.L.
Zantippe's talents had enforced so well:
Ah! if that language from thy heart arise,
Breath it less gently forth — and veil thine eyes.
Endymion, recollect, when Luna tried
To cure his love — was cured of all beside —
His follie — pride — and passion — for he died.
An acronym is a word made from the first initials of the phrase it stands for - sort of the opposite process. It is not a word in itself beforehand, e.g. Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus = scuba.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Myridon's puzzle acrostic is called, at least in the New York Times, a double acrostic
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stranger
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OP
stranger
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Acronym. That's it! My brain was stuck on "anagram" but I knew that to be incorrect. So I Googled "anagram" and found this site and your help. I hope I never get over the wonderfulness and sense of community the 'Net enables. Thank you all muchly.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Joined: May 2006
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stranger
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OP
stranger
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Hmmm, mnemonic, but only partially.
"I CHOOSE" is formed as an acronym (each letter meaning a word). A mnemonic is formed of words and only the 1st letter of which means another word. (so I=integrity, and C=character).
Have we stumbled onto something new? This acronym happens to ALSO be a phrase that ALSO is related to the philosophy that the individual letter-words reference. to. My brain hurts... I think I'll just stick with acronym.
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