PALINDROMES

New Zealand Tablet, 3 September 1908, Page 37

PALINDROMES

This word (remarks the Aye Maria) comes from two Greek roots meansing 'to run ' and ' back,';' and the- palindrome is,- accordingly, a word, a verse, ..or /a sentence that -runs back, -or reads the same either from left to right ,or from, right/.to left. 'N. A. Noonan ' and ' Yreka Bakery ' are examples of palindromic"names; and the classic supposed address of the first man to the first woman, ' Madam, I!m Adam,' is a palindromic sentence. Other examples of phrases" or -sentences possessing this peculiarity of reading the same backward and . forward are : 'Name no one man' 'Rail as a liar,' and 'Red rum murder." 1 While it is quite possible that 'some solemn-yisaged, "matter-of-fact readers of this paragraph may declare that making palindromes is merely another method of murdering time, less serious young folks may still derive innocent recreation from the effort to make a few ; and there is little danger that the "matter" will, become such a fad as to constitute in any home circle a ' live evil.'