'Kam', the Tatar word for a shaman since Rubruck's day
Editorial contextComparing medieval reports with what he saw in Siberia, Fischer notes that the soothsayers Carpini and Rubruck described among the Mongols, who beat drums and went out of themselves, can still be seen among the Yakut shamans. In a footnote he adds that Rubruck's word 'Cham' for such a seer is still used by the Tatars of the Kacha, the Teleuts, and the Chulym and Baraba Tatars for their sorcerer-priests.
Rubruck says, chapter 19, that the word Cham means a soothsayer, and that all people of this sort are called Cham among the Mongols… This name is still in use today among the Tatars on the Kacha river, among the Teleuts, the Chulym people and the Baraba people, and is given to their sorcerer-priests.
Working translation
Original wording
Rubruquis sagt Chap. 19, das wort Cham bedeute einen weißager, und alle leute von dieser sorte werden unter den Mogols Cham genannt… Dieser name ist noch heutiges tages gebräuchlich bei den Tataren am Katscha-fluß, bei den Teleuten, Tschulümern und Barabinen, und wird ihren zauberpriestern gegeben.
About Kacha Tatars, Teleuts, Chulym and Baraba Tatars; medieval Mongols
'When a European speaks of Tatars, no one knows who is meant'
Editorial contextFischer complains that Europeans mispronounce the name as 'Tartar', perhaps imagining it comes from Tartarus, an allusion he says is common in old and new histories. Worse, they give it to every Asian people beyond Persia and India up to the Pacific, however different in looks, way of life, religion and language. He even doubts whether any single people ever properly bore the name, noting that Batu's army that invaded Hungary were Mongols, not Tatars.
Perhaps they imagined that the name comes from Tartarus. … So it happens that when a European speaks of Tatars, one does not know whom he means. Because this name is so very general, I have often hesitated whether there was ever a particular people on earth that bore the proper name Tatar.
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Original wording
Vielleicht haben sie sich eingebildet, daß der name von Tartarus herkomt. … Solcher gestalt geschiehet es, daß wenn ein Europäer von Tataren redet, man nicht weiß von wem die rede ist. Weil dieser name so gar allgemein ist, so habe ofters bei mir angestanden, ob auch jemals ein besonder volk auf dem erdboden gewesen sei, das den eigentümlichen namen Tatar geführet.
About 'Tatars' as a European catch-all; Mongols of Batu
The Mongols disliked the name; the Chinese called all outsiders 'Ta-ta'
Editorial contextFischer notes that in Europe and western Asia 'Tatar' (or 'Tarter') is better known than 'Mongol', although Chinggis Khan was a Mongol and not a Tatar. The mix-up, he says, is as old as the Mongol empire, and the Mongols themselves did not like to be called Tatars. He suggests the usage may come from the Chinese, who called all peoples living beyond their Great Wall 'Tata'.
Although the Mongols themselves did not like to hear it when they were given the name Tatar … The cause of such naming may well come from the Chinese, who are accustomed to give the name Tata to all peoples living outside their great wall and bordering on China
Working translation
Original wording
Wiewol die Mogolen selbst es nicht gerne höreten, wenn man sie mit dem namen Tatar belegete … Die ursache solcher benennung mag wol von den Schinesern herrüren, als welche allen ausserhalb ihrer großen mauer wonhaften und an Schina grenzenden völkern den namen Tata zu geben pflegen
About Mongols; peoples beyond the Great Wall
Prester John was a mishearing
Editorial contextLike Strahlenberg before him, Fischer explains the legend of Prester John as a European mistake: the first Europeans in Tibet and Mongolia misheard a title, their fancy shaped it into 'Prêtre Jean' or 'Juan', and so it spread through the world. They forgot that Tibetans and Mongols spoke neither French, Italian nor Portuguese, and were pleased to find what they hoped for; later came strange etymologies and fables of an Indian 'Johannes Presbyter'.
the name Prêtre Jean or Juan was wrongly heard by the first Europeans who came there, then badly shaped by their fancy, and so sent out into the world. It did not occur to these good people that the Tibetans and Mongols among whom they found themselves understood neither French, nor Italian, nor Portuguese
Working translation
Original wording
der name Pretre Jean oder Juan, ist von den erstern Europäern, die dorthin gekommen, unrecht gehöret, hernach von ihrer fantasei übel gebildet, und so weiter in die welt geschikket worden. Diesen guten leuten fiele nicht ein, daß die Tibetaner und Mogolen, unter denen sie sich befanden, weder französisch, noch italiänisch noch portugiesisch verstunden
About Tibetans and Mongols; medieval European travellers
Keep in mind
Fischer's explanation, following Strahlenberg; not a proven derivation.