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hwīt mæringc

noun, , , hapax legomenon

Last Update: 07.07.2011 18:28

Reference Last Update: 26.12.2022 18:33

Meaning Last Update: 30.04.2008 08:33

  • A:
    -, unsolved, ungeklärt
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Comment Last Update: 17.01.2011 08:22

  • Comment on (A): -, unsolved, ungeklärt

    Judging from the context it need not be a plant name. Cockayne (1962,iii,3/25) translates 'white mint' and suggests (1962,iii,337) "sweet basil ?, ocimum basilike ?", which is Ocimum basilicum L., sweet basil, Basilikum. Holthausen (1974, s.v. mǣring-cwudu, and cf. our note) suggests: "eine Art Harz ?" analog to →cudu, hwīt? Biggam refutes this identification (1997,172) and suggests that the plant name is related to →wihtmeres-wyrt the meaning of which is not clear either.

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Occurrence Last Update: 16.12.2009 14:56
  • LA, 98/6f[1] asg genim hræfnes geallan 7 hwitmæringc, wudulehtric 7 leaxes geallan
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Research Literature

BW II: Bierbaumer, Peter. Der botanische Wortschatz des Altenglischen. Grazer Beiträge zur Englischen Philologie 2. Bern, Frankfurt am Main, München: Lang, 1976.
HEW: Holthausen, Ferdinand. Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. 3., unveränd. Aufl.. Heidelberg: Winter, 1974.
LA, Lor: Grattan, John Henry Grafton, and Charles Singer. Anglo-Saxon Magic and Medicine. London: Oxford Univ. Press, 1952.
LA: Cockayne, Oswald Thomas (ed.). "[Lacnunga] Recipies." In: Leechdoms, Wortcunning and Starcraft of Early England. Being a Collection of Documents, for the Most Part never before Printed, Illustrating the History of Sience in this Country before the Norman Conquest. Vol. 3. Rev. Ed. by Charles Singer. London: Holland Press, 1961. 2-81.
LB: Leonhardi, Günther. Kleinere angelsächsische Denkmäler I. Bibliothek der ags. Prosa VI. Hamburg: Grand, 1905.
Biggam, Carole P.. "Blue' in Old English: an Interdisciplinary Semantic Study. Costerus ; N.S.,110. Amsterdam / Atlanta (Georgia): Rodopi, 1997.
Grein, Christian-Wilhelm-Michael (ed.). Bibliothek der angelsächsischen Poesie. Göttingen: Wigand, 1864.
MS London, British Library, Harley 585.
Pettit, Edward, (ed. and trans.). Anglo-Saxon Remedies, Charms and Prayers from British Library MS Harley 585: the 'Lacnunga'. Vol. I: Introduction, Text, Translation, and Appendices. Vol. II: Commentary and Bibliography. Mellen Critical Editions and Translations. 6A and 6B. Lewiston, Queenston and Lampeter: Mellen, 2001.
[1]:

Grattan / Singer (1051,98,n.3): "L wrongly divides: mæringcwudu, lehtric." The varinat -g- instead of -gc- is used regularly in the LA: e.g. 98/13: swingc for swing. Holthausen (1974, s.v. mǣring-cwudu) accepts Leonhardis version, which seems plausible because this way the two phrases connected with 7 alliterate: hræfnes geallan 7 hwitmæringcwudu, lehtric 7 leaxes geallan.