+- The Voynich Ninja (https://www.voynich.ninja)
+-- Forum: Voynich Research (https://www.voynich.ninja/forum-27.html)
+--- Forum: Marginalia (https://www.voynich.ninja/forum-45.html)
+--- Thread: Month names collection / metastudy (/thread-4751.html)
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Koen G - 23-06-2026
Now your skill of finding month names has truly surpassed my understanding, eggy. I assume you used the OCR search in some way?
About the -en genitive, this is still seen in common expressions like "Im Jahre des Herren" (Anno Domini). In our case, I think the root form could be either "aberille" or "aberil" here, though the reference you mentioned earlier suggests that "aberelle" was the more common root. Either way, I agree that this should be considered a pure form of "aberil".
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - eggyk - 23-06-2026
An e on the end of april is quite rare (unless I didn't mark them, but I think I generally did). It's mostly found in lower saxon/dutch, but otherwise you only really see in areas along the Rhine river, you have one in strasbourg, maulbronn, and contstance.
But we see apprillen -> apprill often, and we have at least one example of abrellen being shortened to abrell, so the 19thC reference might just be wrong about the e.
(23-06-2026, 02:27 PM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I assume you used the OCR search in some way?
The OCR actually reads 'averillen', which I can't believe I haven't tried at some point. Searching that into MDZ gets the original immediately. I wonder what other things we haven't tried?
But no, finding this one was both lucky and all over the place.
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Bernd - 23-06-2026
(23-06-2026, 12:32 PM)eggyk Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Judenburg, city in Styria
Ulrichs von Lichtenstein Frauendienst
13th Century (1255AD?)
Austria, Styria, Judenberg?
aberillen
mayen
The You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. of the work has an interesting bit of description:
"abrillen, aberillen: gen. of aberille (usually aberelle): April, the unsettled month"
I find this text very hard to read, much harder than 15th century texts. Much more ancient. I'd say 'Als aberillen wetter vert ir wille' translates to Als Aprilwetter wird ihr Wille. Her will / temper becomes like April weather (changeable / unpredictable).
The abrillen- / aberillen- is a poetic form used for composite words, especially in Bavarian dialects. Modern German would be Aprilwetter. The root being aberil, one would not use aberil weter because that combination does not have a good flow. Hence the -en is added, as in many modern composite words. But then it's plur. not gen. Katzenfutter - cat food. Frauenarzt - gycecologist.
The only one that comes to my mind involving months is the flower Märzenbecher (wild daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus)
literally March-cup (März+Becher).
I disagree that the root form would be aberille / aberelle outside of a poetic addition of -e. The root to be used for an isolated word as a label must be ab(e)ril(l) / or aberell.
aberille / aberelle is Dativ-e
Im aberille ist das Wetter wechselhaft
aberillen / aberellen is either Dativ -en
Zu aberillen kann das Wetter wechselhaft sein
or Genitiv -en
Des aberillen Wetter ist wechselhaft
Vom mertzen / aberillen / mayen
This also works for composite words
Mertzen-
Abrillen-
Mayen-
German is very complex, especially if you include poetic forms. Hence the month names may look quite different inside a text compared to standalone labels.
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Koen G - 23-06-2026
Bernd: do you think the inserted "e" may also be due to flow or poetic metre in this case? Aberil flows different than Abril.
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Bernd - 23-06-2026
Honestly, I have no idea, but in modern German, Aperil isn't a thing even in poetry. Not to my knowledge. The rareness of aberil in our extensive month name collection also speaks against a widely used poetic form. The other entry in You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. from late 15th C has nothing poetic at all. Still aberil looks ancient and unfamiliar to me, more like Old High German (of which I know little). I think it's interesting that several of the month names rather seem to pre-date than post-date the VM, though we now have several late 15th C. aberel entries from S Germany. Many spelling varieties seem to have persisted over considerable time-scales.
More April variants from the Mittelhochdeutsche Begriffsdatenbank
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Oswald Lieder (OVW)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
early-mid 15th century
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Hilf, Marthan, das Gedrut verleich
uns herberg. Benedict, nit weich.
unser fraue reich, Ruprecht, well uns dort laitten.
Abrelle, wankelicher müt.
Ambrosius, der Celestim mit hohem früt
gab babst Leo dem Tiburzen.
Virginal (VIR)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
13th century
alemannic
Heidelberger Virginal (Cpg 324)
1440
Dresdner Virginal (Mscr. M 201)
1472
Wiener Virginal (ÖNB, Cod. 15478)
1480-90
dâ was von wurzen ein gesmac,
alsô abrelle und merze
waeren dâ mit voller bluot.
Der Schulmeister von Esslingen (SVE)
?
Rîche wât hât an geleit
walt anger und diu heide breit.
der sumer gap diu selben kleit.
abrelle maz, der meie sneit;
wæher wât wart nie bereit.
Reinfried von Braunschweig (RVBR)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1300-1350
Bodensee, Switzerland
Gotha, Cod. Memb. II 42
1464
Passau, Bavaria
wan der meige enboeren
von abrellen wolte.
ieclîch wurz als sî solte
liez bluot und krût ûz blicken.
meige schôn in zwicken
begonde mit geschelle,
wan der fiuhte abrelle
was ein teil verdrungen.
Der heilige Georg (GRG)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1231-1256
Wörth an der Donau, Bavaria
als des süezen meien weter
den abrellen hin legt
und manigen liehten bluomen regt,
daz si von im entspringent
und gên der hoehe ringent:
Flore und Blanscheflur (FLO)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1220-1235
Manuscripts from Diebold Lauber workshop!
und wünneclîche singent
die vogele in dem walde,
und uns nâhet balde
meige nâch abrellen.
sô hât sînen gesellen
swaz lebendes ie wart,
ieglîchez in sîner art.
Minnereden Band 2 (MR2)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Cod. Pal. germ. 313
1478
den mertzen und den abrellen
sicht man das lob uß schnellen
dringen uß den zwygen;
die vögel númen schwygen.
Gottfried von Straßburg (MGS)
Gottfried von Straßburg
ca.1210
Strasbourg, Alsace
Diu zît ist wunneclich.
swenne aberelle gegen dem meien
alsô wunneclîchen strebt,
sô hât ze vröiden sich
erde unde luft; dar zuo sich zweien,
Lanzelet (LZ)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
ca. 1195
Thurgau, Switzerland
in dem jâre, sô die liute vrô
sint von der lieben sumerzît
und diu heide grüene lît,
ze ûz gândem aberellen.
nu lânt iu fürbaz zellen
ein lützel unde merkent daz.
her Lanzelet niht vergaz,
Heinrich von Veldeke (MHV)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1175-1200?
In dem aberellen
sô die bluomen springen,
sô loubent die linden
und gruonent die buochen,
Parzival (PZ)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1200-1210
S-Germany
er hete iedoch von jâmer pîn.
dô was des aberellen schîn
zegangen, dar nâch komen was
kurz kleine grüene gras.
Der Jüngere Titurel (JT)
Albrechts von Scharfenberg
1260-1275
" geu, geu! "so hal ir krien. von schrabaz, pilwihten,
fumf tusent imbe der pien so vil der ruch in walde niht enpflihten
moht in aberillen ir gedoeze.
ir krie, ir pagen, ir snurren was vil ungelich in an der groeze.
Mönch von Salzburg (Weltliche Lieder) (MSW)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1365–1396
Salzburg, Austria
Den ersten veyol den ich vant
hewer in dysem merczen stan,
der abrill mich des wol ermant,
wie ich enphahen sol den mayen;
und wer mir das czum pesten czelt,
der sey mit mir ein maygesell
Prosa-Lancelot (Teil 1) (PL1)
Cod. Pal. germ. 147
1470
Cod. Pal. germ. 91 ?
1525 - 1550
Mainz, Heidelberg
Uns sagt die hystory das der konig Artus hielt großen hoff und starcken
eins ostertages; das was an demselben tag das der aprill innging. Zu funff zyten
hielt der konig großen hoff allwegen in dem jare und starcken.
Gottes Zukunft (ZUK)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
ca.1300
Wien, Austria
Der Wider, Ohse und die zwei
Der mercze, aprille und der mey
Betuten uns. die andern schar
Die dez manen nement war...
Rennewart (REN)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
ca.1250
Bavaria
ez enwart so dicke nie kein hag,
man moehte ez mit minren slegen
zu approlle nider hegen;
als sluog er mit der stange.
I strongly suggest seaching for other month names as well, I lack the time for that!
What I learned is that it is necessary to discern between the creation date of literature (here mostly 13-14th century) and the creation date of manuscripts. Often late 15th -16th century. I guess due to the availability of cheap paper. When diligenty copied, these late manuscripts would have retained the older writing style and thus month names.
The dates given here are the original creation dates of the texts, unless manuscripts are listed. I have not checked them for the actual scans of the month names. If you have time, eggy, there's a truckload of work waiting for you!
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - eggyk - 24-06-2026
(23-06-2026, 11:49 PM)Bernd Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I strongly suggest seaching for other month names as well, I lack the time for that!
What I learned is that it is necessary to discern between the creation date of literature (here mostly 13-14th century) and the creation date of manuscripts. Often late 15th -16th century. I guess due to the availability of cheap paper. When diligenty copied, these late manuscripts would have retained the older writing style and thus month names.
The dates given here are the original creation dates of the texts, unless manuscripts are listed. I have not checked them for the actual scans of the month names. If you have time, eggy, there's a truckload of work waiting for you!
These are awesome, thankyou!
I've started going through to check and will add them as I go. The first one I checked (Reinfried von Braunschweig) was correct.
If more month names are within those manuscripts we can also update them at any point, so i'll also note whether they have been checked.
Having the names of works is super useful for searching within metadata as the descriptions often reference work names, or reference other manuscripts. For example, "Alexanders Monatsregeln" eventually led to a ton of results as it was frequently copied.
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Zauriek - 24-06-2026
A curiosity: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
So, aparently this MS (1480?) is a German Book that used french works to make a version of "la belle Maguelonne", and its objective was to teach Germans to learn french. The book has glosses: but they are in Latin! It means that a german that wanted to learn french had to know latin first. Ver overcomplicated stuff, interesting mix of languages. Well, That is all, just wanted to share it.
(24-06-2026, 06:51 AM)eggyk Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I've started going through to check and will add them as I go. The first one I checked (Reinfried von Braunschweig) was correct.That was fast. Ya are amazing man, good work.
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Koen G - 24-06-2026
Amazing! Bernd, in the list you posted, I do see many more instances of the longer form (aberelle etc). Are these inflected forms of a base "aberel", or is the longer form the root after all?
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Bernd - 24-06-2026
Thanks, eggyk, great work! I already had nightmares about aberellen after my last post...
I'd still say the root form, as you would use it to label a month, is abrell, abrill, aberell, aberill.
The -e / -en ending may be inflections, plural and / or poetic forms. Im Aprile... would still be acceptable in modern German poetry. Not that I'm 100% certain, but it would seem very weird to me to use ab(e)relle / ab(e)rellen as a standalone month label.
As Zauriek pointed out, it appears that many of the early German works were heavily influenced by French literature, so might the mid -e- 'aberell' / 'aberill' be a gemanized version of the French 'apuril'?
Also one hypothesis I came up with would be that the reason we see month name versions over long time periods is that 13-14th century literature was copied in the 15-16th century. At least this is clearly the case in most examples I provided. In this case, it would be necessary to distinguish between the creation date of the text and the creation date of the manuscript copy. Meaning - we see month names in manuscripts that the scribe would not have used in his everyday language. Neither in his region nor time. He just diligently copied an older work - and its much more ancient language. To test this hypothesis, we'd have to look into the creation dates and places of the texts themselves to see if they correlate better with certain spelling variants of month names.
I true, this would also have consequences for the VM month names. The scribe might not have used his own language or dialect typical for a certain region or time at all, but what month names he found in other manuscripts from which he copied. Considering the eclectic nature of the VM, I would not rule this out. Ofc why he wrote those month names at all is another mystery...
RE: Month names collection / metastudy - Bernd - 24-06-2026
AUGST
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Some are peoples names instead of the month August though.
Those 3 are already mentioned for April:
MSG - ok
OVW - only the middle one in song 58 is August
PL1 - all ok
Seifrits Alexander (SAX), Zeile 4542
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1352
Cod. Pal.germ 347
ca. 1460
S-Germany
Cod. Bodmer 151
1402
S-Germany
Cod. Donaueschingen A III 35
1430-1440
middle Bavarian, S-Bohemian
Straßburg, National- und Universitätsbibl., ms. 2325 (L germ. 350.8°)
1466
Bavarian
er cham dar ein zu diser frist
als die sunn am haissisten ist
und sich das aller haissist monett,
der erst Augst, hebet anne.
do hies er slachen auf das veld
die ritter hutten und gezelt,
das er sich dar under laidt.