F.Melville on thu 28 sep 00
We had a long thread on this subject 3 or more years ago. Vince was a=20
major participant. I will repeat what I said then: for me the correct=20
term in Spanish is 'mayolica' (with an accent on the 'o') Like Joyce, I=
=20
have the Velazquez dictionary, an excellent one, but I left it in=20
Spain. However, hereI do have the 'Espasa Calpe Diccionario de la Lengua=20
Espa=F1ola' (1996), where 'mayolica' and mayonesa (or mahonesa) are next to=
=20
each other. These words were taken over repectively by the Italians and=20
the French, becoming maiolica and mayonnaise. Mayonesa was originallya raw=
=20
egg and olive oil sauce from Mahon in Menorca, Baleares. Mayolica was:
"loza commun con esmalte metalico, fabricado antiguamente por los arabes y=
=20
espanoles" ( I have left out all accents) which translates as
"earthenware (not china) with metallic glaze, made in ancient times by=20
Arabs and Spaniards"
Much of Spain was occupied by Arabs for 800 years. They and the Spanish=20
Jews were forcibly removed by Isabel and Fernando, the so-called Catholic=20
Kings, but luckily they left behind a lot of their cultural=20
influence. Mayolica pottery was exported from the Island of Mallorca=20
(Majorca in English) to the rest of Europe and soon the Italians were=20
producing mayolica ware under the name of maiolica. Majolica is, I=20
believe, the word the English used to describe some rather ugly (in my=20
opinion) 19th century English pottery, but I'm sure Janet and Martin know=20
more about that than I.
Well, Vince? Carla? Are we starting this one up again? I hope not :)
Francoise
http://indalopottery.tripod.com
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