A Latin Reading for Quod in Medieval Scribal Attributions

The use of the scribal formula "quod + personal name" in late medieval manuscripts in England has been a subject of interpretation. Some scholars have argued that "quod" is a Middle English spelling variant for "quoth," suggesting that it represents something the named scribe had "said." However, an alternative Latin reading for "quod" has been dismissed too quickly, possibly due to the focus on studying medieval vernacular texts through a monolingual lens. Neil Ker's glossary of Latin terms used in references to books and ownership supports the interpretation that "quod" is a Latin term and that the person named is likely the scribe. In medieval Europe, examples of "quod + name" with the addition of "scripsit" or "scripsi" in colophons further support this interpretation. It is argued that "quod + name" is shorthand for "quod + name (scripsit or scripsi)," which is a more plausible reading than Middle English "quoth." However, it is acknowledged that textual and paratextual matter is open to misinterpretation and reinterpretation. The intention behind the use of "quod" as an English or Latin word cannot be easily determined based on whether scribes wrote their names in English or Latin. English scribes often left their English names unintegrated in Latin contexts.