Mestehe

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Mestehe arabice mastix.


Apparatus:

Mesthehe B | Mestehe ms. e | Mestche p | Mesche AC {'t' misread as 'c' > *Mescehe > Mesche} | Meseche fj {< *Mescehe < Mestehe}
mastix | mustis j

Translation:

Mestehe is Arabic for Latin mastix {"mastic"}.


Commentary:

Wehr (1976): ﻣﺼﻄﻜﺎﺀ /maṣṭakāʔ/, /muṣṭakāʔ/, ﻣﺼﻄﻜﻰ /maṣṭakā/ "mastic, resin of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus); liquor distilled from mastic".
Siggel (1950: 68): ﻣﺴﺘﻜﻰ /mastakā/, ﻣﺼﻄﻜﻰ /maṣṭakī/ Harz v. Pistacia lentisca (Anacard.), Mastix {i.e. "resin of Pistacia lentisca; mastic"}.

The expected form of this word consistent with Simon's usual transcription would be *mestec(h)e.

The Arabic word ultimately goes back to Greek μαστίχη /mastíkhē/.

WilfGunther 03/08/2013

See also Mastix.


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