Abrogans

Abrogans, customary designation of a late Latin dictionary of synonyms, the German translation of which (Deutscher Abrogans) is the oldest document written in German. It is so called because ‘abrogans’ is the first Latin word listed. Dating from the second half of the 8th c. (probably between 764 and 783), it was written in the chapter school of Freising, Bavaria. The original MS., in which Latin and German were interlinear, is lost; the three existing MSS. are all Alemannic: (1) Pariser Glossen, (2) Keronisches Glossar, so called because it was formerly ascribed to a hypothetical monk named Kero or Gero (St Gall), (3) Reichenauer Glossar. All three are believed to be the work of monks in Reichenau or Murbach (Alsace). A later Bavarian version, known as the Samanunga, was written c.790 in Regensburg and was formerly designated Pseudohrabanisches Glossar. (See Glossen.)

First page of Codex Abrogans

The Abrogans, or Codex Abrogans (St. Gall, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 911), is probably the oldest extant book written in the German language. It is a manuscript dictionary of synonyms (or glossary, or word-list) from Latin into Old High German dating from the 8th century (765–775). Several copies were made, but only one has survived to the present, that in the library of St. Gallen.

It is named after the first entry: abrogans = dheomodi (Modern German: demütig = modest, humble). It contains about 3,670 Old High German main terms, with about 14,600 examples. The work is sometimes attributed to the Austro-Bavarian prelate Arbeo of Freising (died 783 or 784), the first named German-language author.

References

• Codex Abrogans A transcription of the Codex Abrogans (Latin and German)

• Digital facsimile of the Codex Abrogans (Cod. Sang. 911) in the Digital Abbey Library of St. Gallen Codices Electronici Sangallenses (CESG)

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