Mercenius

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Mercenius arabice est maiorana.


Apparatus:

Mercenius (-nius e) AC e | Merzenius or – zemus f | Merzemus B {'ni' misread as 'm'}.

arabice A e | ara. C | ař. B | autem f


Translation:

Mercenius is Arabic for Latin maiorana {"marjoram"}.


Commentary:

The nearest transcription to an Arabic/Persian form would be merzenius, with the letter 'i' standing for the Arabic affricate sound as initially and finally in English "judge", i.e. Simon attempts to portray IPA /mærzænʤu:s/.

Wehr (1976): ﻣﺮﺯﺟﻮﺱ /marzağūs/ ,ﻣﺮﺯﻧﺠﻮﺱ /marzanğūs/ = ﻣﺮﺩﻗﻮﺵ /mardaqūš/ "marjoram". Siggel (1950: 67): ﻣﺮﺯﻧﺠﻮﺱ /marzanğūs/ Origanum majorana (Lab.), Mairan {i.e. "marjoram"}. Also further forms mentioned by Siggel (1950: 67): ﺯﺮﺩﻗﻮﺵ /murdaqūš/, ﺯﺮﺩﻛﻮﺵ /mardkūš/.

The word is of Persian origin, cf. Steingass (1892: 1214) ﻣﺮﺩﻗﻮﺵ /mardaqoš/ ,ﻣﺮﺯﻧگﻮﺵ /marzangoš/ "mouse ear". Cf. also MacKenzie (1971: 54).

WilfGunther 03/08/13

See also: Maiorana

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