Algebra
Algebra arabice dislocatio membrorum interdum pro ipsorum restauratione accipitur.
Apparatus:
restauratione ACH | -tiõe B | -ciõe f | desictatorum? e
Translation:
Algebra is Arabic for dislocation of limbs, sometimes it also stands for the putting back in place of dislocated limbs.
Commentary:
Derived from the root √ğbr, meaning acc. to Wehr (1976) "to set (broken bones), restore", etc. comes the noun ﺍﻟﺠﺒﺮ /al-ğabr/ originally "setting (of broken bones)" and hence "restoration, restorative". The word is of course best known from mathematics: algebra, the restoration of missing entities in equations.
Simon uses the Medieval Latin term dislocatio rather than classic luxatio or luxatura, which by then was apparently obsolete.
WilfGunther 17/03/13
See also: Luxatio
