FORMAL METHODS LIMERICKS COMPETITION
http://sites.lero.ie/fm2011/LimericksCompetition.html
FM 2011, the 17th International Symposium on Formal Methods, will be held at
University of Limerick, Ireland, 20-24 June 2011.
As part of the symposium, Lero-the Irish Software Engineering Research
Centre will host a “Formal Methods Limericks” competition. A small (!)
prize is offered to the best Limerick on the topic of formal methods. In
addition, a special prize will be given to a Limerick that is both on the
topic of formal methods and begins with the line “There once was a man from
Nantucket”.
A Limerick, named after the city of Limerick, is a popular form of poem,
usually whimsical and sometimes risque', using an a-a-b-b-a rhyming scheme.
The metre (meter) is also important. The following comes from the on-line
Webster Dictionary:
lim-er-ick \'lim-(e-)rik\ n
[Limerick, Ireland]
(1896)
:a light or humorous verse form of 5 chiefly anapestic verses
of which lines 1, 2, and 5 are of 3 feet and
lines 3 and 4 are of 2 feet
with a rhyme scheme of aabba
anapestic
an-a-pest \'an-e-,pest\ n
[L anapaestus, fr. Gk anapaistos, lit., struck back (a dactyl reversed),
fr. (assumed) Gk anapaiein to strike back, fr. Gk ana- +
paiein to strike -- more at PAVE ]
(ca. 1678)
:a metrical foot consisting of two short syllables
followed by one long syllable or of two unstressed syllables
followed by one stressed syllable (as unabridged)
-- an-a-pes-tic \,an-e-'pes-tik\ adj or n
One of the most prolific writers of Limericks was John von Neumann, who is
said to have written thousands of them.
The following, though not a Limerick, comes from Mark Twain:
Limericks that may be recited when women are present: $25.
Limericks that may be recited when women are absent but preachers are
present: $10.
Limericks: $5.
Some examples of formal methods (and specifically, Z) Limericks are given
at http://sites.lero.ie/fm2011/LimericksCompetition.html ; please note that
these vary greatly in quality!!
Please submit your entry by 12 NOON (LIMERICK TIME) on 23 JUNE 2011 via
http://sites.lero.ie/fm2011/LimericksCompetition.html . The winner(s) will
be announced at the conference dinner to be held in Dromoland Castle.
Registration for FM 2011, SEW-34, CPA and other events is now open at
http://fm2011.lero.ie . Early registration rates are valid until 3 June
2011.
--
Prof. Jonathan Bowen
Emeritus Professor, London South Bank University
Visiting Professor, University of Westminster
Chairman, Museophile Limited
http://www.jpbowen.com
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