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Unread 03-24-2021, 08:01 AM
Matt Q Matt Q is offline
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: England, UK
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Thank everyone. That seems to answer my question: there's no single standard way of denoting a rhyme scheme. And interestingly, while I've never seen it done without an X to denote a non-rhyming line, conversely some people have never seen it with an X.

Personally, I think the X method is better, because it conveys more information, but maybe that's just because it's the one I'm used to. I'd also the say the X method is most widespread -- or at least in terms of online sources (GCSE revision guides excepted!). The only book I have that denotes rhyme schemes is Lewis Turco's The Book of Forms and he also follows the X convention.

Duncan, interesting that you've never come across the X usage. Then again, I guess in general we don't spend much time writing down rhyme schemes, especially for forms with non-rhyming lines.

Julie, yes, I found those sources too. Interesting that you too seemed to think the X was standard (or I think you did).

Martin, thanks. I guess that confirms the multiple different schemes idea. I wonder if Mary Elizabeth would actually use AXAYA? The example you quote presumably uses 'B' because the rhyme appears on the second line (the X replaces the 'A').

Max, yes, maybe they thought it was a simpler method to teach kids.

Shaun. I have to say I don't agree with your claim that this method is "semiotically unintuitive". What's unintuitive about using 'X' as a variable which can take any value -- or as a 'cross' to show the absence of something? Semiotically, that's very standard, surely? The rhymes are named alphabetically in order of appearance, which also seems intuitive and logical to me. Maybe it seems unintuitive to you because it differs from the method you're used to? My initial reaction to first seeing the system you favour was also negative; I thought it was a pretty dumb method. In retrospect, I think that's largely because it was being done differently to how I'd learned to read the code. Albeit, I still think the X approach is better, among other things I think the 'X' makes it clearer to see the the rhyming versus non-rhyming pattern at a glance, though again may be about what I'm used to and may be pure prejudice on my part!

best,

Matt

Last edited by Matt Q; 03-24-2021 at 10:33 AM.
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