say 1
.
Searchable Lemmata: ?sagum (L), sae (W), sæi (Nors), sagum (L), sagum (ME), sagum (say 1), sai (Ir), sai (ME), saí (W), saia (L), saie (AF), say (MdE), say (OScots), say 1.
Alternate Forms: assaia, essaia, saga, sagium, saia, saiea, saium, saxum, saya.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1a1(n.)
Garment;
specifically, a heavy piece of cloth worn wrapped wrapped about the shoulders as a cloak, traditionally for men.(ante 700 - circa 1200)
1. Sagum autem Gallicum nomen est: dictum autem sagum quadrum eo quod apud eos primum quadratus vel quadruplex esset.
[DOE ISID. Etym. (19,24,13)]
5. Nomina et habitus et munera magorum Augustus Aurilius sic ait: primus eorum, Melcha nomine, senior canus cum barba prolixa et capillis prolixis et tunicca iachintina .i. ulcha immlebur fair & folt fota & tonach uaine imme, sagoque millenio .i. lend buide, et calciamentis iachintinis, aurum quasi regi obtulit.
[eDIL LB (7024-7028) ante 1400]
Sex: Male Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
1a2(n.)
Garment;
specifically, a blanket. In both the Cornish and the Old English gloss (on which the Cornish was based), the term describes an item contained in the monk's sleeping possessions; the term is placed in a gathering of items found in an ecclesiastic's cell.(circa 800 - circa 1000)
2. Stramenta autem lectorum sufficiant matta et sagum lena et capitulæ : bedreaf bedda genihtsumiað & hwitel & wesline & heafudrægel.
[DOE BenRGl (0491 (55.93.2))]
Sex: Male Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
1a3(n.)
Furnishing;
wall hanging or (biblical) tent covering. In the Vulgate, the cloth is described as being made of cilicium, a goat-hair fabric. However, it is likely that the use of 'sagum' included any heavy fabric.(ante 700)
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1b(n.)
Textile;
a fine material, serge. In early examples, associated with silk (see say 2), but subsequently associated with an entirely wool textile; often difficult to distinguish uses. Overlaps with previous senses.
AF: The AND suggests linen*. [But cf. ME saie*, MdE "say", describing material made originally of silk, but increasingly of wool.] Cf. Notes to MdE say*.s. linen: de viridi sagio: de vert say Gloss Utensilium (H683) 64; sagio: say, de saye, de sarge Gloss Nequam 243.64; sagum: seie Gloss Garland 173; un ceint de saye qu'il usent tutz les jurz Parl Writs 55.(ante 1200 - post 1500)
7. 3e say 3our women has na wedis þe werd with to plese, Garlands ne no gay gere ... Silke of Sipris, ne say, ne saffrond kellis
Heroic, Historic, Poetic, Romance.
[MED Wars Alex. ((Ashm 44)) circa 1450]
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Etymological Evidence:
Speculative, Generall thought to be Classical L. From Greek, L sagus, with variants (L) sagum and (L) saga. See Pedersen, H. (1962)a, §155.
Confusion with say 2 in texts (esp. French and Middle English). see say 2 - Cleasby-Vigfusson gives sæi as Fr soie, L saia from Lat sericum, cognate silk The source is Rettarbættr, (B.II) in Norges Gamle Love (B. II) sec iii. 122,125 and Diplomatarium Norvagium (J.II) ; Bjorgynjar Kalfskinn (J.II); Vilkins Maldagi (J.1); found also as sæi-kápa . 90 However note soie 'silk' < Lat. seta.) Irish saí: Vergleichende Grammatik der keltischen Sprachen, editor Pedersen, Holger, 1867-1953 i. 216 says from Lat sagum > *saja. However could be from saie. Sagum has been reborrowed into MdE in scholarly use (see OED).
WF:
Etym Cog: saya (Sp), soie, σάγος (Gk).
