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Archiver > PolandBorderSurnames > 2004-09 > 1095261766


From: Connie Jacoby <>
Subject: Re: [PBS] More on _hortulanus_ and _agricola_
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 08:22:46 -0700
References: <002f01c49a75$39220b00$0a07a8c0@helen> <00ab01c49b32$e800c090$220110ac@FRED>
In-Reply-To: <00ab01c49b32$e800c090$220110ac@FRED>


Hi:

All this talk about hortulanus and agricola has started me thinking
about the terms used in the church records from the Kashubian region
(Brusy, Wiele, Koscierzynia) which seem to cover more social
distinctions. _Hort._ is used as well as_ inquilini_
and _colonus_ and _possesser_ and _Magnificus_ which sounds like the
"big dog". I was wondering what these terms mean as used in these
church records. The latin dictionary gives the definition of "settler
or farmer" for colonus, but I wonder where this fits in the pecking
order. Comments will be appreciated.

Connie
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
wrote:

> Hi!
>
> Helen Ginn <> wrote:
>
>> Question: would there have been a 'short form' used for the word
>> hortulanus when
>> these documents were being written up? I'm quite familiar with agr
>> and agricola and
>> will certainly keep hortunalus in mind when reading film.
>
>
> I've seen _hort._ and _hortul._ in records. I think most often it'd be
> abbreviated _hort._ because there isn't any other common Latin word
> that would be confused with. The only other words with that root in
> common usage had the basic meaning "encourage, exhort," and would not
> appear as indications of profession or social class. So if you see
> _hort._ in one of these Latin documents, chances are excellent it is
> being used as an abbreviation for _hortulanus_.
>
> Also, Andy <> asked:
>
>> Another question: Was a farmer (agricola) of a lower status than
>> a hortulanus?
>
>
> The Latin term _agricola_ just means "farmer" in the most generic
> sense; even back in classical Latin that was the basic word for
> "farmer." As far as I can tell, when record keepers called somebody an
> _agricola_ it was a general term for "farmer, peasant," whereas
> _hortulanus_ had a more specific meaning. I'd say an _agricola_ would
> be your basic peasant, and could cover anything from a fairly well-off
> farmer who owned or worked a big enough farm to support his family, to
> one who only owned a little patch of ground.
>
> So I don't know that you could say an _agricola_ was lower or higher
> than a _hortulanus_. A given priest might use one term or another with
> more specific meanings, in which case he might use _agricola_ for one
> lower in status than a _hortulanus_. But my hunch is that in most
> cases a priest just used _agricola_ because it was a nice, general
> term that covered all the bases and did require him to go into tedious
> detail about whether a peasant owned a full-size farm, a half-size
> farm, a garden-sized patch of land, or whatever. With _agricola_ you
> cut through all those distinctions, which would make it a handy term
> for a priest who wasn't a particularly meticulous record keeper.
>
> Hope that helps!
>
> Fred Hoffman
>
>
>
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