steˈmmatic, n. and a.
[a. G. stemmatik (P. Maas in Byzantinische Zeitschrift (1937) XXXVII. 289), f. L. stemma(t-) stemma + -ic.]
A. n. pl. stemmatics = stemmatology.
| 1949 [see stemma 1 c]. 1958 B. Flower tr. P. Maas' Text. Criticism 42 Errors arising in the course of transcription are of decisive significance in the study of the interrelationships of manuscripts—I may be allowed to use the term ‘stemmatics’. 1968 Reynolds & Wilson Scribes & Scholars v. 140 The classic statement of the theory of stemmatics is that of Paul Maas. 1975 Times Lit. Suppl. 15 Aug. 928/4 There has been a tendency to see stemmatics as something born in an instant. 1980 Early Music Gaz. Jan. 13/3 Source studies and stemmatics play an increasingly important role in musicology. |
B. adj. Of or pertaining to a textual stemma or stemmata; concerning the reconstruction of the interrelationships between the readings of manuscripts of a text, esp. as stemmatic theory.
| 1958 B. Flower tr. P. Maas' Text. Criticism 44 Such errors are so rare..that we cannot rely on being able to find one to establish every stemmatic relationship. 1968 Reynolds & Wilson Scribes & Scholars 140 In practice the stemmatic theory has serious limitations. 1980 Early Music Gaz. Jan. 13/3 Alejandro Planchart concluded that traditional stemmatic theory (after Paul Maas) best fits the text transmission of plainsong. |