from AKOUSMATIKOI: (HEARERS) AKOUSMA a thing heard

— the noise which we hear without seeing what is causing it

— a voice whose source one cannot see, a voice whose origin cannot be identified

Philosophical origin: The Acousmatics were Pythagoras’ disciples who, concealed by a curtain, followed his teaching for five years without being able to see him directly followed by a period of silence before being admitted to Pythagoras' inner circle as mathêmatikoi (learned).

(OR WAS THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS VEILED OR CODED)