Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language.djvu/361

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E. spoon, as well as OIc. spónn, spánn, ‘splinter of wood, spoon,’ attest the double sense of primit. Teut. spênu-, of whose early history, on account of the want of cognate terms in the non-Teut. languages, nothing can be definitely ascertained. The connection with Gr. σπά-θη, ‘spoon for stirring’ (see Spaten), is uncertain.

Spanferkel, n., ‘sucking pig,’ a diminutive of MidHG. spęnvarch, n., ‘sucking pig’ (also in MidHG. spęn-sû-, -swîn). The first component is MidHG. spęn, f., ‘breast, milk,’ on whose equiv. variant spüne, spünne, MidHG. spünnevęrchelîn, ‘sucking pig,’ is based. Comp. Du. speen, ‘udder,’ and OHG. spunni, f., ‘breast,’ whose root is perhaps the same as that of spannen; akin also to Lith. spenýs, ‘teat.’

Spange, f., ‘clasp, buckle, bracelet,’ from the equiv. MidHG. spange; OHG. spanga, f.; a common Teut. term; comp. OIc. spǫng, AS. spange, ‘clasp’ (to which E. spangle, prop. a diminutive, is allied), Du. spang. Its early history is obscure.

Spanne, f., ‘span,’ from MidHG. spanne, OHG. spanna, f.; ‘width of the outstretched hand’ (from this Ital. spanna and Fr. empan, ‘a measure of length,’ are borrowed); allied to spannen, ‘to stretch, expand, span,’ MidHG. spannen, OHG. spannan, str. vb., which corresponds to Du. spannen, AS. spannan, E. to span. The root span, ‘to draw,’ seems to be connected with the cognates discussed under Spanferkel and Gespenst, perhaps even with those of spinnen.

sparen, vb., ‘to save, economise, lay up,’ from MidHG. sparn, OHG. sparôn, ‘to save, spare, preserve, lay up,’ Denomin. of OHG. spar, ‘thrifty’ (AS. spœr, for which sparsam, ‘thrifty,’ first occurs in ModHG.; MidHG. spęrlîche, ‘in a frugal manner,’ is the corresponding adv., but it was changed in ModHG. into an adj., spärlich, ‘frugal’); in OHG. sparhęnti, AS. spœrhęnde, ‘thrifty.’ Comp. Du. sparen, AS. sparian, E. to spare, OIc. spara, No connection with Gr. σπαρνός, ‘scarce, few, seldom’ (allied to σπείρω, ‘to sow, scatter’), is conceivable.

Spargel, m., ‘asparagus,’ from the equiv. MidHG. spargel; the latter was formed from Lat. asparagus, which was also the source of the equiv. Du. aspersie, Fr. asperge, Ital. sparagio. Note Swiss šparse.

spärlich, see sparen.

Sparren, m., ‘spar, raster,’ from Mid

HG. sparre, OHG. sparro, m., ‘pole, beam’; corresponding to Du. and E. spar, OIc. sparre, ‘beam.’ There are no cognate terms in the non-Teut. languages. See sperren.

Spaß, m., ‘jest, joke, fun,’ ModHG. only, formed from Ital. spasso, ‘pleasure, pastime.’

spät, adj. and adv., ‘late(ly), backward,’ from the equiv. MidHG. spœte, OHG. spâti, adj. (but MidHG. spâte, OHG. spâto, adv.); comp. Du. spade, ‘late.’ Goth. preserves only spêdiza, ‘later,’ and spêdists, ‘latest, last, least.’ The Teut. spêd- cannot be traced farther.

Spat, m., ‘spar’ (mineral), from MidHG. spât, m., ‘foliated stone, splinter,’ whence Du. spaath, Fr. spath, and Ital. spato, ‘felspar,’ seem to be derived. Its origin is obscure, as in the case of Quarz.

Spaten, m., ‘spade,’ ModHG. only; MidHG. spate may be inferred from the MidHG. and ModHG. dimin. spatel, ‘little shovel’; the implied OHG. *spato agrees with OSax. spado, Du. spade (spa), AS. spada, E. spade. These OTeut. cognates are primit. allied to Gr. σπάθη, ‘(blade of a) sword.’ Ital. spada, ‘sword’ (to which Fr. épée is allied), is usually derived from Gr. rather than from Teut.

Spatz, m., ‘sparrow,’ from the equiv. late MidHG. spatz, m.; a pet term peculiar to HG., and allied to MidHG. spar (see Sperling). The assumed orig. connection with the equiv. Lat. passer (for *spat-ter?) is less probable.

spazieren, vb., ‘to walk,’ from the equiv. MidHG. spatzieren. Borrowed in the 13th cent. from Ital. spaziare, ‘to roam.’

Specht, m., ‘woodpecker,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. spëht, m.; Du. specht and E. speight, ‘woodpecker,’ are G. loan-words; also OHG. and MidHG. spëch (from a Teut. spëcca are derived OFr. espeche, ModFr. epeiche, ‘woodpecker’). Probably cognate with Lat. pîcus, ‘woodpecker’; the name is said to mean ‘speckled,’ and is usually connected with Lat. pingo, ‘I paint,’ pictus (Gr. ποικίλος), ‘ornate,’ or with E. speck, AS. spëcca, ‘spot.’ If OHG. spëht (Du. specht) be not allied to Lat. pîcus, it may be referred as ‘spy, watcher,’ to the root of spähen, ‘to spy.’ Deriv. Spessart, equiv. to Spëhtes hart, lit. ‘woodpecker's forest.’

Speck, m., ‘bacon, lard, fat,’ from the equiv. MidHG. spëc (ck), OHG. spëcch, m.; corresponding to Du. spek, AS. spic, OIc. spik, n., ‘blubber.’ A primit. Teut. term,