*kol

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *kol "coal".^[1] It continues inherited from Proto-Germanic *kulą (“coal”),^[2][3] which Kroonen cites as *kula- and Orel as *kulan,^[2][3] and EWA sets up *kula(n)-.^[4]

Morphology

A neuter a-stem.^[5][4] Kroonen takes the neuter for the primary form and suggests that the feminine *kulō(n)- may have been coined for a single piece of coal;^[2] Old Frisian kole is feminine,^[6] and Old High German has the neuter a-stem kol beside a masculine n-stem kolo.^[4]

Evidence

The word is attested as Old English col, Old Frisian kole and Old High German kol, the last from the 8th century in glosses.^[2][4] Köbler infers an Old Saxon *kol from place names.^[7] In Old Dutch, Old Dutch kōl is found only as the first element of the place name ⟨kōlham⟩, and ONW thinks it uncertain that this is the word for "charcoal", since a comparison has been made with English place names whose first element is the Old English word for "kiln".^[8]

Meanings

1. coal^[1][2]

Kroonen also gives the sense "charcoal",^[2] Old English used the word for "glowing coal",^[9] and Old High German also for "soot".^[4]

Reflexes

• Old English: col (“coal, glowing coal”)^[9]
• Old Frisian: kole (“coal, piece of coal”)^[6]
• Old High German: kol (“charcoal, coal, soot”)^[4]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *kol
2. ^ a b c d e f Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 309
3. ^ a b Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 223
4. ^ a b c d e f Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. kol
5. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. col
6. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. kole
7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *kol?
8. ^ Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. kōl
9. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. col