eorcnanstan

Old English edit

Alternative forms edit

earcnanstān, eorcanstān, eorclanstān

Etymology edit

Compound of eorcnan (“special, noble”) +‎ stān (“stone”). Cognate with Old Norse jarknasteinn, which is generally regarded as a loan from Old English. Translates margarita in 9th century biblical glosses but is used generically as "precious stone, gem" in Beowulf (line 1208) and The Ruin (v. 36).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ˈe͜ork.nɑnˌstɑːn/, [ˈe͜orˠk.nɑnˌstɑːn]

Noun edit

eorcnanstān m

precious stone, pearl

Declension edit

Declension of eorcnanstan (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	eorcnanstān	eorcnanstānas
accusative	eorcnanstān	eorcnanstānas
genitive	eorcnanstānes	eorcnanstāna
dative	eorcnanstāne	eorcnanstānum

Descendants edit

→ English: arkenstone (Tolkien)

References edit

Peter Kitson, 'Lapidary traditions in Anglo-Saxon England: part I, the background; the Old English Lapidary' in: Anglo-Saxon England, vol. 7, eds. Martin Biddle, Julian Brown, Peter Clemoes, Cambridge University Press, 2007, →ISBN, 9-60 (fn. 5 p. 25).