Abgeschoben, ausgesetzt und ausgegrenzt. Linguistische Beobachtungen zu Status und Herkunft der gaskognischen und navarresischen Kagoten

Christian Schmitt

doi:10.1515/roma.63.4

Abstract

Despite the study of Loubès (2006), the name(s) and origin of the Cagots still represent an unsolved puzzle. Like the older terms crestia(n), christia, synonymous of the fr. cagot, and the settlement names of the Cagots (crestianies, lieux aux cagots, etc.), the names of the socially excluded cagots, capots, etc. have seen rather fantastical interpretations (lacking thorough linguistic argumentation), while the names chrestia(nerie), christia etc., due to phonetic similarity, have been connected to lt. christianus ‘chrétien’, comparable to the former historical linguistic explanation of fr. crétin / crétinisme < lt. christianu, although the latter is to be understood as lt. crista + inu (RJb 59, 29-45). The present linguistic analysis shows that a total of 39 names for these pauperes Christi have to be connected with groups of lepers, who were virtually excluded from regular village life in Gascony and Navarre. Thus, lt. cacare ‘chier’ is not valid for an etymological interpretation, but for phonetic and semantic reasons bask. kagote / agote ‘gancho, pequeño’, which, for example, also led to gafo, gaho ‘lépreux’ (REW 3633). The author shows how the words-and-things-method, with help of cognitive research, still leads to better and more convincing etymological explanations than an interpretation based too heavily on similarities in the phonetic structure and an etymological prototype chosen as leader-word (lt. christianus > frz. crétin, bask. crestia).

Abgeschoben, ausgesetzt und ausgegrenzt. Linguistische Beobachtungen zu Status und Herkunft der gaskognischen und navarresischen Kagoten

Abstract

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