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Mentha_longifolia

balsmēþe

noun, f., n-decl., 3 occ.

Type: plant

Last Update: 12.04.2011 09:08

Old-English: baldsmiþe, balsmeþe, balsmeþan, balsmeðan, baldsmiðe,

Latin (Machine generated): MENTASTRO,

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References Last Update: 04.11.2023 09:57

Meanings Last Update: 05.06.2009 14:56

  • A: plant
    -, mint-species, undomesticated, Minz-Art, wildwachsend
  • A: plant: native Clapham (1962,738): "doubtfully native".
    Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds., spear mint, Ross-Minze
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Comments Last Update: 08.11.2011 10:01

  • Comment on (A): -, mint-species, undomesticated, Minz-Art, wildwachsend

    Esp. Mentha aquatica L., water mint, Wasser-Minze; cf. →balsemite and →brōc-minte.

    There are many different mint species, therefore a distinct identification is hardly possible. Sanborn (1983,130) wrongly identifyes balsmēþe as a spelling variant of →balsam.

    Etymology: relating to OE smēþe 'soft, alleviating; weich, lindernd' balsmēþe might be a transormation of →balsemite (cf. Dur 55 BALSEMITA balsemite).

  • Comment on (A): Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds., spear mint, Ross-Minze

    Cf. Meritt (1961,73b,11): MENTASTRO baldsmiþe; Dieffenbach (1867, s.v. MENTA): "MENTASTRO rosses-minza Wirzb.Hs."; Hunger (1935,168): Kap.XCIII: MENTASTRUM = Menta sylvestris L.[1]

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Occurrences Last Update: 04.06.2009 06:44

  • C 71.2, Meritt 73b, 11 MENTASTRO balsmeþe
  • PD, 9/27 asg balsmeþan
  • PD, 9/27f asg balsmeþan
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Etymology Last Update: 12.04.2011 09:08

  • Etymology: Etymology-Comment:
  • Word-Formation:
  • Word-Formation-Comment:
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Image Last Update: 12.04.2011 09:08

Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds., spear mint, Ross-Minze
Mentha_longifolia

Botanical-Information: stylised plate

Source: →reference-information

Fitch, Walter Hood. Illustrations of the British Flora: London: Reeve, 1924.

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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.
BW III: Bierbaumer, Peter. Der botanische Wortschatz des Altenglischen. Grazer Beiträge zur Englischen Philologie 3. Frankfurt am Main, Bern, Las Vegas: Lang, 1979.
DOE: Cameron, Angus, Ashley Crandell Amos, Antonette di Paolo Healey, et al. (eds.). Dictionary of Old English (A to G). CD-Rom. Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies for the Dictionary of Old English Project, 2008.
PD: Löweneck, Max (ed.). Peri Didaxeon. Erlanger Beiträge zur Englischen Philologie 12. Erlangen: Junge, 1896.
Cockayne, Oswald Thomas (ed.). "Peri Didaxeon." 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. 82-143.
Meritt, Herbert Dean. Old English Glosses. MLA General Series.16. Repr. New York: 1971.
MS Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothek, Dc. 160+187+186+185.
Sanborn, Linda (ed.). An Edition of British Library MS. Harley 6258B: Peri Didaxeon. Diss. Ottawa: University of Ottawa, 1983.
Varnhagen, Hermann. De Glossis Nonnullis Anglicis. Erlangen: Typis Friedrich Junge, 1902.
[1]:

The old botanical name Mentha silvestris L. refers to several undomesticated mint species: Cf. Fischer-Benzon (1998,72, n.1): "MENTASTRUM bedeutet ebenso wie Mentha silvestris "wilde Minze"; das Suffix "-ASTER" soll ursprünglich eine Entartung ausdrücken [...] bei Pflanzen hat es [...] die Bedeutung "wild", z.B. OELASTER, wilder Ölbaum" (MENTASTRUM, just like Mentha silvestris, means "wild mint"; the suffix "-ASTER" is normally used to denote a form of devolution [...] with plants [...] it means "wild", e.g. "OLEASTER", "wild oiltree").