An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Ferkel

by Friedrich Kluge

Ferkel, neuter, ‘sucking-pig,’ from Middle High German vęrker, verchel, vęrhelîn, Old High German farhelî(n); diminutive of Middle High German varch, neuter, ‘pig, sucking-pig,’ Old High German farah, farh, neuter; Anglo-Saxon fearh, masculine, English farrow; Dutch varken, neuter, ‘pig’; Gothic *farha- is wanting. In any case it is a pre-Teutonic word, since the allied Aryan languages have words corresponding to it both in sound and meaning; *farhaz from pre-Teutonic porkos, corresponds to Latin porcus (Greek πόρκος), Lithuanian pàrszas, Old Slovenian prasę, neuter, Old Irish orc. Like Eber and Schwein, this word too, unknown to Indian, is essentially West Aryan, while Kuh is a common Aryan word.