Rules of Etymology of Initialism - Specific case, "BDSM"

[Sinful Sailor]

Hello,

I am researching the etymology of an initialism. The root/source of the initialism I am studying is a combination of previously existing initialisms.  The earliest examples of the initialism I am studying are combinations of the previously existing initialisms that use punctuation (and/or the word "and") within the combination. My specific question is:  Are these earliest forms of the initialism which are the joining of two previously existing initialisms with an ampersand, a slash, a comma or an "and" valid examples of the current preferred form of the initialism, or by the rules of etymology is the source/origin of the currently preferred form of the initialism found strictly and only in the first use of the currently preferred form of the initialism? And, is there a reference book such as a textbook in which I can find the answer to my question?

The specifics:

I am researching the origin of the initialism "BDSM". The earliest examples of that initialism are either in the first appearance of the initialism as it appears in usage today, ie., "BDSM" or in usages such as "B&D and S&M", "BD, SM", "B&D/S&M" or even "SM and BD" and so on in which, from the context, the writer intended to speak of the two initialisms (BD and SM) as one concept and as what would now be written as "BDSM".

There are other examples in which BD and SM appear together in a list separated by commas. Those examples, however, from context do not appear to join BD and SM into BDSM. It is simply the case that those two initialisms (BD and SM) appear side-by-side in a list. I do not include those examples in my question. Nor do I perceive those list examples to be valid examples of the origin of the initialism "BDSM" currently in use. If I am mistaken about that, please correct me.

More information:

googlebooks:  http://books.google.com/books?id=4YfsEgHLjboC&q=bdsm#v=snippet&q=bdsm&f=false

The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: Volume I, A-I
 By Eric Partridge
Routledge 2006

p. 109
BDSM; BD/SM  noun
Bondage, domination, sadism and sasochism (sic) or sadomasochism, unified as a sexual subculture  US, 1969
* -- Harold Wentworth and Stuart Berg Flexner, Dictionary of American Slang p. 675, 1976
* I decided to make a pligrimage to 10a Dryden Street, where the modern age of British BDSM began with the opening of John Sutcliffe’s Atomage – Claire Mansfield and John Mendelssohn, Dominatrix, p. 192, 2002
* Even fashion is taking a lead from the BDSM scene.  Black leather, chokers, spikes and high heels have all graced the catwoalks over the last year or so.  – Code, p. 62, January, 2002

Note:  The New Partridge would appear to answer my question.  Is this correct?  And do I read this correctly?  Is the New Partridge dating this initialism from 1969?


Wikipedia says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BDSM

The compound acronym, BDSM, is derived from the terms bondage and discipline (B&D or B/D), dominance and submission (D&S or D/s), and sadism and masochism (S&M or S/M).

<snip>

The abbreviation BDSM itself was probably coined in the early 1990s in the subculture connected with the Usenet newsgroup alt.sex.bondage. The earliest posting with the term which is now preserved in Google Groups dates from June 1991.

End Wikipedia


Sources consulted:

Gales
OED
Webster's
The Language of Sadomasochism
Historical Dictionary of American Slang
The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: A-I
 By Eric Partridge
Wikipedia
Various contextual examples of usage


Summary:

My question is:

Does the initialism BDSM date from its first form of "B&D and S&M" or "BD, SM" or etc.?  And if so, how do I document the etymological rule that applies?

Or does the initialism BDSM date from the first example of its current preferred form, "BDSM"?

Please feel free to email me privately to sinfulsailor at yahoo.com

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