orgues (1155-60)

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orgues (1155-60)

[ gdw]

[ FEW: 7,409b organum; Gdf: 5,633b orgue; GdfC: 10,242a orgue; TL: ; DEAF:  orgue; DMF:  orgue; TLF:  orgue; OED:  orgue n.; MED: ; DMLBS: 2053a organum ]
orgres,  orgne (l. orgue?)  

The word orgues derives from the same Latin root, organum, as organe1, but abbreviates the form through a vocalisation (and loss of the ‘n’) of the second syllable.

The form ‘orgne’ has been re-interpreted as ‘orgue’, and is therefore included in this entry. However, an alternative possibility would be to read ‘orgues’ as ‘orgnes’, and, conversely, interpret that form and its citations as belonging to the article for organe1. Ultimately, both forms seem to have co-existed (with the form orgues prevailing in Modern French). Because of the difficulty of unequivocally distinguishing ‘u’ from ‘n’ in medieval manuscripts, the two articles will inevitably overlap.

In contrast to organe 1, Anglo-Norman has at least two attestations of the word clearly referring to a pipe-organ. For historical information on the organ, sent by Edward of Caernarfon (the future King Edward II) to his sister Mary of Woodstock, from his residence in Langley in 1305, see J.S. Hamilton, ‘The Character of Edward II: The Letters of Edward of Caernarfon Reconsidered’, in The Reign of Edward II: New Perspectives, ed. by Gwilym Dodd and Anthony Musson, York Medieval Press, York, 2006, 5-21 (pp. 9 and 16).

One attestation remains problematic, listed here, provisionally, under ‘musical instrument’. In Eluc the saints might be playing sweet ‘organs’ or ‘lyres’. They might even be ‘[singing] sweet hymns’ (cf. DMLBS organum 2053b, senses 8 ‘song, hymn’ and 9 ‘music, esp. vocal as dist. from instrumental’). The textual context does not clarify this any further.

s._pl.

1musicorgan, musical instrument using pipes sounded by keys
( 1304-05 )  Les toneux de vyn [...] ne les orgues que nous vous avoms premis ne vous sount uncore venuz [...]; les orgues feismes venir a Langelé, e feurent depescez en cheminant, e nous les avoms fait redrescer  124
( c.1334; MS: s.xivm )  Gereberd (=Pope Sylvester II) [...] fist orgues chauntauntz sanz eide de home (i.e. the hydraulically powered pipe organ in Reims)  278.19
musicstringed musical instrument, lyre
( MS: 1155-60 )  Mes meins firent le orgne (l. orgue?) (Latin: Manus meae fecerunt organum)  292.2
( s.xiiiex; MS: s.xivin )  Harpe et estive et timpaus (l. timpans), Orgue et vin et autre aveals En vos convives tot avez  566
musicmusical instrument, i.e. lyre or organ (?)
( c.1200; MS: s.xiiiin )  les chanz des angles e les dulz orgres des sainz  105.106
2orn.zool.soundbirdsong
( 1266-1300; MS: c.1300 )  Li oisel chantent, li rossignos lur orgues mostrent  83.373
suspendre ses (etc.) orgues
suspendre
organal  organe#1  organer 
This is an AND2 Phase 4 (N-O/U-P-Q) entry. © 2013-17 The Anglo-Norman Dictionary. All rights reserved. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom.
orgues