'chernoknizhie, chernoknizhnik'

[Elisabeth Ghysels]

Dear Will,

I'm not sure whether I understood your question correctly because I don't
know your background exactly. I think you know all that, but perhaps some of
the following can still be of some use: The first part, 'cherno', 'black',
of course is used in this context all over the indogerman languages and
probably beyond that. The second part, 'knizhnik', 'scribe' or 'pundit'
seems to be quite similar to the originally Persian word, taken over by
Greeks and Romans as 'magos' / 'magus', which before getting its pejorative
connotation just stood for 'priest', 'pundit'. Thus 'chernoknizhie' and
'chernoknizhnik' are indeed very similar to 'black magic' and 'black
magician' and their equivalents in other European languages, 'Schwarzkunst',
'zwarte magie'.
Kind regards,

Elisabeth Ghysels,
Belgium

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list
[mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU]Namens William Ryan
Verzonden: zondag 8 oktober 2000 10:20
Aan: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Onderwerp: Re: nasel'nik i svyazochka -- again


Steve,
I didn't know Chalenko's dictionary - thanks for the tip; I'll get it.
'Vestals' suggests a level of syncretism I had not previously been aware
of! And while we are word-hunting in the spiritual realm, can you or
anyone suggest the source of the words 'chernoknizhie, chernoknizhnik'.
The earliest occurence I can find is in the report of the trial of
Maksim Grek. It occurs mostly in religious and legal texts thereafter.
It looks like a calque but there appears to be no model in Greek, Latin
or German. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Will

> I too have done some additional searching. In O.T. Chalenko's
> "Russian-English Religious Dictionary" (Moskva, "Nauka," 1998, 158 s.,
> tirazh 1200 ekz.), we find the following: "nasel'nicy mn. nuns,
> vestals." Chalenko's gem of a book does not contain the word
> "svyazochka," which only goes to underscore further the non-specific
> nature of the word.

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