An interpretation, however original, eminent and/or respectable, can by no
means replace the exact definition of a classic rhetorical figure of speech
or of an philologically/historically founded literary term.
These things do not shift according to individual psychologies, and however
appealing the suggested image of a run-on line resembling a serpent, a boa,
or a river , I am pretty sure that a "versiculo" is and will be
a "versetto", (those that compose the Bible ). That is a versiculo.
(English have eliminated the diminutive element of versi-culo,(they say
verse) but it still remains a short verse (that does end and is regulated
by given rhythms).
Yet, we might wish to refer back to the history of a given word to obtain
not only the meaning of a specific literary term, but also its varying
applications though time and space. A "versiculo" might end by becoming a
piece of prose, in given countries, why not.
But this is all together another issue. I might have already three new
different definitions for versiculo". One of which is the Neapolitan versi-
culo (turpiloquio gratuito?...)
No need to blame Pulcinella Cetrulo for this original XVII Century version
of “versiculo”.
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