"Negotiatores Allecarii" and the Herring
Robert I. Curtis
IN MEDIEVAL LATIN allec (alecium, allecum, etc.) referred to the herring (Clupea harengus), whether fresh, dried, smoked, salted, or pickled. This was a widespread association in northern Europe, both on continent and Britain, from at least A.D. 103 1, date of earliest mention listed dictionaries medieval Latin.' Herring merchants France fourteenth century were called alleciarii, factory for salting near Durham eastern coast England end thirteenth domus alleciaria.2 Some etymologists last century, apparently following usage, derived modern word (It. aringa; Sp. arenque; Fr. hareng; Ger. Hering) Latin halec.3 Others, however, rejected this derivation favor Germanic origin. Valentine Rose suggested 1874 that may have come form harinc herinc, referring fish's habit swimming schools giving rise classical (h)aringus.4 Etymologists since time abandoned halec origin, though not accepting all
Phoenix (Toronto)