Meaning: Ammunition belt, although originally it meant anything worn across the shoulder 'scarfe wise'. This leaves the hands free, hence - presumably - the popularity with mountaineers and rifleers.
Logofascination: 2. Etymologically it's 'little band*'; a word that has wandered through German, Italian, Spanish and into English via French (but sometimes straight from Spanish). Its meaning shifted to ammunition container quite quickly, perhaps not surprising in 17th century Europe.
In the wild: Hardly wild, but we're still in the Viennese museum of Arms and Armour. I discovered that the gorgeous bag I was coveting was, in fact, a bandolier and have been meaning to look up the etymology ever since.
Usefulness: 3. More useful is Cotgrave's bandouillier, one who wears anything 'scarfe wise'. I do this a lot.
*not related to bandit, which is someone who is banned.
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| Ottoman Bandolier: I'd like one. |
In the wild: Hardly wild, but we're still in the Viennese museum of Arms and Armour. I discovered that the gorgeous bag I was coveting was, in fact, a bandolier and have been meaning to look up the etymology ever since.
Usefulness: 3. More useful is Cotgrave's bandouillier, one who wears anything 'scarfe wise'. I do this a lot.
*not related to bandit, which is someone who is banned.
Hey, great blog. I stumbled upon it after listening to the audiobook of Gargantua and Pantagruel and trying to use liripipionated as a search term to find that passage online and I stumble on this here blog and it assuages my logofascination admirably. Despite your lack of recent posting I understand the blog is just temporarily dormant, I had a blog go dormant for two years and everyone was still around when I returned.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is outstanding!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, chaps. I knew people were reading it but they were all quiet types, and when I got busy the energy got a bit lost, so it's great to hear from someone!
ReplyDelete