“For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought”. Manuscript terminology across languages and scientific disciplines

Christine Jakobi-Mirwald,Marilena Maniaci

doi:10.5209/dmae.72790

Abstract

The complex terminology used in the description of medieval books in manuscript catalogues and other scientific contributions offers a wide range of possible ambiguities and losses across languages and disciplines, losses that become evident most notably on their crossing paths in the Internet. . Sadly enough, true long-term collaboration across countries and disciplines is more the exception than the rule, which is also why the question of terminology and its translation is frequently neglected. The authors of the present contribution, an Italian codicologist and a German art historian – both of whom have provided lexicographical work tools which have seen several translations) – propose an overview of the work tools currently available (theoretical reflections, dictionaries, multilingual glossaries), followed by a small but significant selection of examples of gaps, ambiguities and other problems regarding the building of a shared multilingual language in manuscript studies.

Highlights

This short essay by a German art historian and an Italian palaeographer – both of whom have contributed lexicographical work tools which have seen several translations – outlines a number of issues and as yet unanswered questions stemming from more than two decades of scholarly exchange across language and discipline boundaries in the field of research on the medieval book
While palaeography is concerned with ancient and medieval book scripts, art history focuses on artwork and ornament, and both disciplines make use of the results of a third, codicology, which investigates the material aspects of the medieval book: parchment, paper, quires, pricking, ruling, sewing, binding, and so on
For German art history, Christine Jakobi-Mirwald’s terminology book has been available since 1991.17 Its starting point was a sixteen-page word list18 intended for use in manuscript cataloguing; the list was compiled by Herbert Köllner in 1963.19 The Terminologie is organized by subject, in the same way as Muzerelle’s Vocabulaire

Summary

Lexicographical Work Tools

One of the earliest work tools in the field of manuscript terminology was published in 1965 by the art historian Lucia N. For German art history, Christine Jakobi-Mirwald’s terminology book has been available since 1991.17 Its starting point was a sixteen-page word list intended for use in manuscript cataloguing; the list was compiled by Herbert Köllner in 1963.19 The Terminologie is organized by subject, in the same way as Muzerelle’s Vocabulaire. It encompasses general and detailed art historical terms and a summary of palaeographical, codicological and technological basics. We could continue down this path much further, and many analogous cases within codicological and palaeographical description could be cited

Introduction

Conclusion