An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Harke

by Friedrich Kluge

Harke, feminine, ‘rake,’ a Low German word, in Upper German Rechen; compare Dutch hark, Anglo-Saxon *hearge, EL. harrow, Old Icelandic herfe, neuter, ‘harrow,’ Danish harv, Swedish hœrf. Considering the almost certain identity of the words, their phonetic relations present some difficulties. The root might perhaps be Sanscrit kharj, ‘to scratch,’ yet Anglo-Saxon hyrwe (*hearge), English harrow, Old Icelandic herfe, ‘rake,’ are difficult to reconcile with it.