The manuscript is in French, so does not contain the Old English word amyrgan, but it does apply to what is happening in the scene. (Surely dancing and singing is a way to ‘cheer’ or ‘delight’ someone.) The word becomes amirien in Middle English, from which we get modern English ‘merry’. We usually say ‘make merry’ today, but ‘merry’ remains a transitive and intransitive verb (if less common than the adjective). In James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922) we have ‘Warm sunshine merrying over the sea’.
I find the connection between today’s word a-mygan and Roman de la Rose; France (Paris), 1320-1340 so interesting!
I am especially intrigued by the word Karole and tamous, as the character appear to be dancing and singing carols!
Is this merriment a-mygan?
Thanks for sharing this word and all the daily words!
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The manuscript is in French, so does not contain the Old English word amyrgan, but it does apply to what is happening in the scene. (Surely dancing and singing is a way to ‘cheer’ or ‘delight’ someone.) The word becomes amirien in Middle English, from which we get modern English ‘merry’. We usually say ‘make merry’ today, but ‘merry’ remains a transitive and intransitive verb (if less common than the adjective). In James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922) we have ‘Warm sunshine merrying over the sea’.
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