Etymologically
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marginalis

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [mar.ɡɪˈnaː.lɪs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [mar.d͡ʒiˈnaː.lis][1]

Forms

marginālis (neuter margināle); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is a Medieval Latin formation, from Latin margō (“edge, margin”) + -ālis.[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates the first record to about 1265, from Latham.[2] The DMLBS has it for the edge of water, of a willow leaning over the waves, in a book of miracles of Thomas, and for glosses and notes written in the margin of a book.[4]

Semantic evolution

Most uses concern books: marginal glosses beside interlinear ones, and letters or numbers in the margins of a table.[4] Used as a feminine noun, it meant a marginal gloss or commentary, especially on the Bible, in Neckam and in Langton's commentary on Ruth.[4] The Latin of Poland and the Czech lands has it for what stands or is written in the margin of a book.[5][6]

In Neo-Latin it still described glosses in the margin, and the neuter plural marginalia became a noun for marginal notes.[7] English took it as marginal, first of what is written in the margin; the sense “of little importance” came much later.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1265 – First recorded, in Latham.[2]
  • 1414 – A Polish source speaks of a marginal gloss.[5]
  • 1520 – A letter of More in Erasmus' correspondence mentions a marginal note.[4]
  • 1570s – English borrows it as marginal, “written on the margin of a page”.[3]
  • 1666 – Kircher describes a Gospel book with short marginal glosses in Arabic and Syriac.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Near the shore, littoral.[4]
  2. Marginal, written or placed in the margin of a page (of glosses, notes or numbers).[4][7][5]
  3. (as a feminine noun) A marginal gloss or commentary, especially on the Bible.[4]

Usage notes

The neuter plural marginalia, “marginal notes”, is a Neo-Latin noun.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  6. ^ Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
  7. ^ a b c d Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de