Abstract
This study treats two Syriac ophthalmological terms, kwh and 'agn. The adjective kwh refers to an eye disease (kwht) which is identified by the native lexicographers with Arabic atra and corresponds to modern ectropion. Cognates occur in Mandaic (kauihta) and Jewish Babylonian Aramaic (kwht') in magical contexts relating to the evil eye. Although kwh itself is not attested with reference to the evil eye, the native lexicographers associate the Syriac term with other terms, cognates of which are attested with reference to the evil eye in various Aramaic dialects. The second term, 'agn, occurs in the Syriac Book of Medicines. It is equivalent to Arabic 'ina, which occurs in similar contexts in the writings of mediaeval Arabic ophthalmologists and refers to the tarsus of the eyelid.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 23-38 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Journal of Semitic Studies |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2002 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:* I would like to thank Professor J. Naveh and Professor A. Hurvitz of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for critical readings of the manuscript and Professor S. Shaked, Mr S. Assif and Ms H. Paavilainen of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr Ch. Müller-Kessler of the Universities of Jena and Cologne for their comments and help with specific problems. The author assumes sole responsibility for the views expressed herein. This study was supported by grants from the Department of Hebrew Language of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Roten-streich Foundation. 1 R. Duval (ed.), Lexicon Syriacum auctore Hassano Bar Bahlule, e pluribus codi-cibus edidit et notulis instruxit (Collection Orientale 15, Paris 1901), col. 873. Bar Bahlul cites Zacharia of Merw and (var.) Bar Seroswai. 2 R. Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus (Oxford 1879–97), col. 1692: ‘cui palpebra inferior flaccida'. Similarly, J. Payne Smith, A Compendious Syriac Dictionary: Founded upon the Thesaurus Syriacus of R. Payne Smith, D.D. (Oxford 1903), 207b: ‘having the lower eyelid weak or drooping'.
Funding
* I would like to thank Professor J. Naveh and Professor A. Hurvitz of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for critical readings of the manuscript and Professor S. Shaked, Mr S. Assif and Ms H. Paavilainen of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr Ch. Müller-Kessler of the Universities of Jena and Cologne for their comments and help with specific problems. The author assumes sole responsibility for the views expressed herein. This study was supported by grants from the Department of Hebrew Language of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Roten-streich Foundation. 1 R. Duval (ed.), Lexicon Syriacum auctore Hassano Bar Bahlule, e pluribus codi-cibus edidit et notulis instruxit (Collection Orientale 15, Paris 1901), col. 873. Bar Bahlul cites Zacharia of Merw and (var.) Bar Seroswai. 2 R. Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus (Oxford 1879–97), col. 1692: ‘cui palpebra inferior flaccida'. Similarly, J. Payne Smith, A Compendious Syriac Dictionary: Founded upon the Thesaurus Syriacus of R. Payne Smith, D.D. (Oxford 1903), 207b: ‘having the lower eyelid weak or drooping'.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Roten-streich Foundation | |
| Hebrew University of Jerusalem |