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Mespilus_germanica_bd3_tafel_100

open-ærs

noun, m., a-decl., 2 occ.

Type: plant

Last Update: 21.07.2011 11:54

Old-English: openaers, openers, openears,

Latin (Machine generated): ESCULUS, MESPILA,

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Meaning Last Update: 09.04.2010 09:17

  • A: plant: introduced Probably by Romans (http://laudatortemporisacti.blogspot.com/2009/08/sorbs-and-medlars.html); planted for their fruit, naturalized species recorded as late as 1597 (Clapham 1962,422).
    Mespilus germanica L., medlar, Echte Mispel
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Comment Last Update: 21.07.2011 11:53

  • Comment on (A): Mespilus germanica L., medlar, Echte Mispel

    In QlQu 35,15, which according to Ker (No. 317) is a parallel section, AESCULUS is glossed by →bōc. The L plant name denotes Quercus frainetto Ten, Hungarian oak, ungarische Eiche, which is native to southern Europe, and also Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz, wild service tree, Elsbeerbaum (or similar Sorbus species), which is related to the medlar (cf. Marzell 2000,3,185). The fruits of both trees are used for food. Based on an earlier confusion ESCULUS can easily be used to denote the medlar: cf. Marzell (2000,3,185): "Albertus Magnus, De Veget. 6,133: 'MESPILUS AUTEM EST ARBOR NOTA, QUAE ALIO NOMINE ESCULUS CORRUPTE VOCATUR'". Also cf. WW 646,29: HEC SORBUS, AE opynharstre; WW 647,36: HOC SORBUM AE hopynhars.

    Etymology: Etym.: The name most likely originated on the European continent, cf. LG apenärseken, Apenoors, Apenaars, etc., FRIS iepen éarske and FR cul de chien, which all suggest a similar image (cf. Marz 2000,3,189).

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Occurrences Last Update: 23.04.2010 09:26

  • AntK, 122,6 MESPILA openaers
  • D 25, f.145r, col.1/38 ESCULUS openers
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Etymology Last Update: 21.07.2011 11:54

  • Etymology: Etymology-Comment:
  • Word-Formation:
  • Word-Formation-Comment:
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Image Last Update: 21.07.2011 11:54

Mespilus germanica L., medlar, Echte Mispel
Mespilus_germanica_bd3_tafel_100

Botanical-Information: stylised plate

Source: →reference-information

Thomé, Otto Wilhelm. Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. In 4 Mappen ; 531 Tafeln in naturgetreuen Farben mit 668 Pflanzenarten. Leipzip: Teubner, 1938.

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Research Literature

AntK: Kindschi, Lowell. The Latin-Old English Glossaries in Planton-Moretus Manuscript 43 and British Museum Manuscript Additional 32,246. Unpubl. diss. Stanford University: 1955.
BW III: Bierbaumer, Peter. Der botanische Wortschatz des Altenglischen. Grazer Beiträge zur Englischen Philologie 3. Frankfurt am Main, Bern, Las Vegas: Lang, 1979.
Banham, Debby. "Investigating the Anglo-Saxon _Materia Medica_: Archaeobotany, Manuscript Art, Latin and Old English." _The Archaeology of Medicine._ Ed. Robert Arnott. British Archaeological Reports. International Series. 1046. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2002. 95-99.
Britten, James, and Robert Holland. A Dictionary of English Plant-Names. London: Trübner, 1886.
Ker, Neil Ripley. Catalogue of Manuscripts Containing Anglo-Saxon. First published 1957. Re-issued. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990.
Marzell, Heinrich. Wörterbuch der deutschen Pflanzennamen. Mit Unterstützung der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Bearb. von Heinrich Marzell. Unter Mitw. von Wilhelm Wissmann. Köln: Parkland, 2000.
MS Antwerp, Plantin-Moretus Museum, 47.
MS London, British Library, Add. 32246.
MS Oxford, Bodleian, Bodley 730.