Curiosa 2015 January: Difference between revisions
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{{title|color = pink|text = Curiosa|image= Hortus sanitatis 1491 Mandrake.jpg}} | {{title|color = pink|text = Curiosa|image= Hortus sanitatis 1491 Mandrake.jpg}} | ||
::Why is [[fr:Dictionnaire étymologique#seringat|seringat]] the French name of ''Philadelphus coronarius'', whereas [[fr:Dictionnaire étymologique#lilas|lilac]] bears the name [[fr:Dictionnaire étymologique#Syringa|''Syringa'']] ? My perplexity doubled when I read that this name came from the use of hollow branchlets to make… '''seringes''' ! This was the | ::Why is [[:fr:Dictionnaire étymologique#seringat|seringat]] the French name of ''Philadelphus coronarius'', whereas [[:fr:Dictionnaire étymologique#lilas|lilac]] bears the name [[:fr:Dictionnaire étymologique#Syringa|''Syringa'']] ? My perplexity doubled when I read that this name came from the use of hollow branchlets to make… '''seringes''' ! This was the beginning of a long etymological search, that we detail in our [[:fr:Dictionnaire étymologique|Etymological dictionary]]. But this quest ended up in an enigma. | ||
Renaissance botanists used to group several plants with frangrant flowers under the name ''Syringa''. For instance, Bauhin in his ''Pinax'' (1623) | Renaissance botanists used to group several plants with frangrant flowers under the name ''Syringa''. For instance, Bauhin in his ''Pinax'' (1623) distinguishes ''Syringa cærulea'', which is lilac, ''[[Syringa vulgaris]]''; ''Syringa alba'', which is seringat (mock orange), ''[[Philadelphus coronarius]]''; and ''Syringa Arabica foliis mali arantii'', which is sambac, ''[[Jasminum sambac]]''. It seems in fact that the name ''Syringa'' was first applied to the mock orange, but Linnaeus decided another way. This answers the first question. | ||
[[File:Europäischer Pfeifenstrauch (Philadelphus coronarius) - Juni 2009.jpg|thumb|mock orange flowers]] | [[File:Europäischer Pfeifenstrauch (Philadelphus coronarius) - Juni 2009.jpg|thumb|mock orange flowers]] | ||
As to the second question, you | As to the second question, you must know that the etymon of medieval Latin syringa is Greek '''σῦριγξ, -ιγγος - surinx, - ingos''', which meant in ancient Greek "flute" or "fistula". In medieval Latin, this "flute" or "pipe" came to designate a "seringe". But in fact, we must not understand our hypodermical or intravenous seringes. Every pipe through wich a liquid was pushed was called a '''syringa''', which applies to seringes for rectum or uretra enema ! | ||
The object size fits indeed more, but it seems that this meaning is not the right one. Tabernaemontanus may give us the right explanation in 1625 in his ''Neuw Vollkommentlich Kreuterbuch'' : "the branchlets can be used as a whistle (or flute), by removing the marrow". This explanation is highly plausible. What remains is to check it experimentally. If you have a lilac or a mock orange in your garden, cut off a branchlet, scoop out the soft heart, and blow into it to see (or hear) the result. Give us then the answer on the [http://www.tela-botanica.org/page:liste_projets?id_projet=57 ethnobotany forum of Tela Botanica]. | |||
{{right|Michel Chauvet}} | {{right|Michel Chauvet}} | ||
Latest revision as of 20:28, 12 July 2019
Curiosa
- Why is seringat the French name of Philadelphus coronarius, whereas lilac bears the name Syringa ? My perplexity doubled when I read that this name came from the use of hollow branchlets to make… seringes ! This was the beginning of a long etymological search, that we detail in our Etymological dictionary. But this quest ended up in an enigma.
Renaissance botanists used to group several plants with frangrant flowers under the name Syringa. For instance, Bauhin in his Pinax (1623) distinguishes Syringa cærulea, which is lilac, Syringa vulgaris; Syringa alba, which is seringat (mock orange), Philadelphus coronarius; and Syringa Arabica foliis mali arantii, which is sambac, Jasminum sambac. It seems in fact that the name Syringa was first applied to the mock orange, but Linnaeus decided another way. This answers the first question.
_-_Juni_2009.jpg)
As to the second question, you must know that the etymon of medieval Latin syringa is Greek σῦριγξ, -ιγγος - surinx, - ingos, which meant in ancient Greek "flute" or "fistula". In medieval Latin, this "flute" or "pipe" came to designate a "seringe". But in fact, we must not understand our hypodermical or intravenous seringes. Every pipe through wich a liquid was pushed was called a syringa, which applies to seringes for rectum or uretra enema !
The object size fits indeed more, but it seems that this meaning is not the right one. Tabernaemontanus may give us the right explanation in 1625 in his Neuw Vollkommentlich Kreuterbuch : "the branchlets can be used as a whistle (or flute), by removing the marrow". This explanation is highly plausible. What remains is to check it experimentally. If you have a lilac or a mock orange in your garden, cut off a branchlet, scoop out the soft heart, and blow into it to see (or hear) the result. Give us then the answer on the ethnobotany forum of Tela Botanica.