*kaf

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *kaf "chaff" for Proto-West Germanic, and it names no Proto-Germanic ancestor and calls the origin uncertain.^[1]

Etymology

Köbler takes it to be inherited from Proto-Germanic *kafa (“pod”), under which he lists the Old English noun ceaf (“chaff”), Middle Low German kaf and Old High German kefa (“husk, pod”);^[2] for the Old English word he also gives a Proto-Germanic feminine *kefō "pod, husk".^[3] Holthausen likewise connects the Old English word with Old High German keva (“pod, husk”).^[4] EWA puts Old High German kaf, like the word for "pod", with a Proto-Germanic word family for the region of the mouth, which it treats under kevur (“beetle”); it explains the sense "pod" by the likeness of an opened pod to two jaws.^[5] Köbler and, with a "perhaps", Wiktionary trace the words further to an Indo-European root for "jaw, mouth" and "to eat".^[3][1] Köbler's dictionary of Old High German, by contrast, calls the origin of the Old High German noun unexplained, with a query.^[6]

Morphology

A neuter a-stem in Old English and Old High German,^[3][7] and a neuter in Old Dutch.^[8]

Evidence

The Old High German noun is found in glosses from about 1000 on, explaining Latin palea (“chaff”).^[7] In Old Dutch, ONW has the accusative ⟨chahf⟩ in the Middle Franconian Rhyme Bible of 1151–1200.^[8] EWA adds early Middle Dutch caf of 1240 and Middle Low German kaf to the Old English and Old High German words.^[7] Wiktionary gives the Old Frisian form only as a reconstruction.^[1]

Competing analyses

The origin is uncertain, and the sources differ.^[1][6] Köbler sets up a Proto-Germanic noun *kafa "pod" and connects it with the Indo-European root for "jaw, mouth".^[2] EWA, without giving a Proto-Germanic form for the word itself, joins it to the word family of the beetle name and of the word for "pod".^[5] Wiktionary names no Proto-Germanic ancestor and gives the Indo-European connection only as a possibility.^[1]

Meanings

1. chaff^[1]

The later German dialects also use the word for "idle talk" and "worthless stuff".^[7]

Reflexes

• Old English: ceaf (“chaff”)^[4]
• Old Dutch: chahf (“chaff”)^[8]
• Old High German: kaf (“chaff”)^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *kaf
2. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *kafa
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ceaf
4. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. ceaf
5. ^ a b 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. keva
6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. kaf
7. ^ a b c d e 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. kaf
8. ^ a b c Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. kaf