28th Annual Student Research Conference
A Lexical Analysis of Selected Terms from a 15th Century Spanish Apothecaries' Manual
Clara G. Miller-Broomfield
Dr. Thomas M. Capuano, Faculty Mentor
For the past 5 months, I have been composing a bilingual glossary of selected Spanish terms from the Compendio delos boticarios a 15th century apothecaries manual. In doing so, I have discovered several words that lack formal documentation in any major dictionary or lexical resource of the field and that offer intriguing possibilities for philological and etymological analysis. Terms such as secaniabin (a syrup consisting basically of honey and vinegar) and cabalino (an adjective describing an inferior variety of aloe) have led me on searches through modern and antiquated texts in various languages as I attempt to determine their meanings and uses. The findings I have made thus far will benefit future historians, linguists, and other scholars interested in using the Compendio to better understand the climate of intellectual exchange characteristic of the 15th century Mediterranean. They will be presented at this conference via lexical analyses of selected terms.
Keywords: Spanish, Compendio delos boticarios, 15th century, philology, etymology, lexicology, intellectual exchange, word studies
Topic(s):Spanish
Linguistics
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 120-1
Location: MG 1090
Time: 8:30