Re: For the nightemare

FCS wrote:
On Apr 11, 10:15 am, Blue Sow <b...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
G DAEB wrote:
Interesting again for the implicit genders in that an incubus as per the
Oxford etymology is a male spirit believed to engage in intercourse with
sleeping women whereas this account seems to imply a female spirit
That would have been a succubus then.


Well, yes, but this isn't listed as an option in the
dictionary.

That would seem to depend on which dictionary you are using.

Certainly the smaller volumes (Pocket OED, Concise OED) provide as you suggest.
However, the larger volumes (OED, SOED) do not.

From the OED (Second Edition):

Etymology: NIGHT n. + MARE n.2 In {beta} forms < the genitive of NIGHT n. + MARE n.2 Cf. West Frisian nachtmerje, Middle Dutch nachtm{amac}re, nachtm{emac}re, nachtm{emac}rie (Dutch nachtmerrie, Dutch regional nachtmaar), Middle Low German nachtm{amac}r (German regional (Low German) Nachtmahr, Nachmaar), Middle High German nahtmare (German (arch.) Nachtmahr); some forms show alteration of the second element after corresponding forms of MARE n.1]

Definition: A female spirit or monster supposed to settle on and produce a feeling of suffocation in a sleeping person or animal.

Topsell (1608) offers dual usage "The spirits of the night, called Incubi and Succubi, or else Night-mares."


In summary then, in Standard British English, the nightmare would normally refer to a succubus, rather than an incubus. Some OE usage may depend on the variety of Anglo-Saxon from which it derived.

Hope that helps.

--
Blue Sow
.