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Category Archives: animals

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buc

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Hana Videen

buc, m.n: buck, male deer, perhaps the roe deer specifically. (BUCK / ˈbʌk)

Medieval manuscript image of a long-legged stag leaping through the forest.
De natura animalium; France (Cambrai), 1270-1275; Bibliothèque Municipale de Douai, Ms. 711, f. 9r. [arca.irht.cnrs.fr]
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ylp

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Hana Videen

ylp, m.n: elephant. (UELP / ˈylp)

Medieval manuscript written in Latin with an illustration of an elephant carrying a little castle on its back; the elephant, who looks shocked at its predicament, has a trunk so long that it drags on the ground.
Liber de natura rerum; France, 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 59v. [portail.biblissima.fr]
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nǣdre

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Hana Videen

nǣdre, f.n: snake, serpent, adder, viper. (NADD-ruh / ˈnæː-drə)

Medieval manuscript image of an asp refusing to listen to a snake charmer’s incantations which are represented by a scroll with Latin words in the man’s hands.
Bestiary; England, 13th century; British Library, Harley MS 4751, f. 61r. [sites.nd.edu]
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aspide

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Hana Videen

aspide, m/f.n: asp. (AH-spih-duh / ˈa-spɪ-də)

Medieval manuscript image amidst Latin text of a coiled blue and green snake plugging one of its ears with its tail.
Rabanus Maurus’ De rerum naturis; S Germany (Heidelberg?), 1425; Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 291, f. 93r. [digi.vatlib.it]
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eofor

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Hana Videen

eofor, m.n: wild boar. (EH-ov-or / ˈɛɔ-vɔr)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post answers the question ‘How many fish are there in the sea?’ Read it on Patreon.

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fisca cynn

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Hana Videen

fisca cynn, n: fish-kind. (FISK-ah KUEN / ˈfɪ-ska ˈkyn)

Medieval manuscript image of an assortment of sea creatures, some fairly realistic looking fish, others more fantastical, such as a mer-horse, a horned mer-lion and a sea dragon.
Harley Bestiary; England, c. 1230-40; British Library, Harley 4751, f. 68r. [bl.uk]
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gange-wæfre

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Hana Videen

gange-wæfre, f.n: spider (walker-weaver). (GONG-guh-WAV-ruh / ˈgaŋ-gə-ˌwæv-rə)

Medieval manuscript image of a rather unrealistic pair of spiders, each with eight legs, a horse-like head, horns and wings.
Old English Herbarium; England, 11th century; British Library, Cotton MS Vitellius C III, f. 23v. [bl.uk]
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hrȳþer

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Hana Videen

hrȳþer, n.n: ox, cow. (H’RUE-ther / ˈhryː-θɛr)

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læssa igil

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Hana Videen

læssa igil, n: hedgehog (smaller igil). (LASS-ah IH-yill / ˈlæs-sa ˈɪ-jɪl)

Medieval manuscript image of seven little hedgehogs impaling fruit on their spines beneath a curvy-branched tree or vines.
Aberdeen Bestiary; England, c. 1200; Aberdeen University Library, MS 24, f. 24r. [abdn.ac.uk]
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māra igil

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Hana Videen

māra igil, n: porcupine (greater igil). (MA-ra IH-yill / ˈmaː-ra ˈɪ-jɪl)

Medieval manuscript image of a porcupine standing on a patch of grass.
Jacob van Maerlant’s Der Naturen Bloeme; Netherlands, c. 1300-1325; British Library, Add MS 11390, f. 16v. [bestiary.ca]
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