LL-L "Etymology" 2008.04.06 (02) [E]

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From: Henno Brandsma <hennobrandsma at hetnet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2008.04.05 (04) [E]

From: Ingmar Roerdinkholder <ingmar.roerdinkholder at WORLDONLINE.NL>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2008.04.05 (03) [D/E]

In Dutch, we have "lak" = lacquer, varnish (Dutch has "vernis", too),
but not the second meaning. But might the second "lack" have anything to
do with Dutch "lek" = E. leak, and/or German "Loch" = hole. Leaks and
holes are a kind of omissions and defects as wel, aren't they?

Ingmar

Reindert schreef:

There are two Low Saxon nouns* lak* (*Lack*):

  1. lacquer, varnish

This is Westerlauwer Frisian "lak" as well. Probably from French,
originally?

2. lack, omission, fault, defect, blemish

In WF this is "lek", as in "lekken en brekken", 'defects'. Probably related
to Dutch "laken", "laakbaar", as was pointed out by others.
The -a- in open syllable was lowered to -e- as Ingwaeonic varieties are wont
to do. Then -e- in WF is not lengthened in open syllable,
contrary to Dutch (laken has a long vowel). Cf. "lekken" = Dutch noun
"laken" (bed sheet), "brekke" = Dutch breken, etc.
The verb "laken" (Dutch) has a correspondence in WF "lekje".

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Thanks, Ingmar.

English "lack" first appeared written at the end of the 12th century (*lac*),
during the transition from Old English to Middle English. Some people
believe it to be an Early Middle Dutch loan, namely *lak* 'deficiency',
'fault' (!!!). However, others believe it goes back directly to
Proto-Germanic **laka-* 'to lack' (> Old Norse *lakr* 'fault').

*Lok* (cf. German *Loch*, etc.) 'hole' is related to English "lock". Gothic
has *usluks* 'opening', Old German *loh* 'dungeon', Swedish *lock* 'locking
device', 'lid', etc. So there's a semantic relationship between the noun
"opening" (also in English  "lock" = "sluice") and the act of securing,
locking (cf. Old German *lūhhan* 'to lock'). It is also related to German *
Luke* 'hatch' and *Lücke* 'gap'. And then it's related to English "lock (of
hair)" and its relatives (e.g. Dutch *lok*, LS *lok/Lock*, German
*Locke*'curl'). All this goes back to Indo-European *
*leug-* 'to bend', 'to turn', thus is related also to Lithuanian
*lùgnas*'bendable', 'flexible', and Latin
*luxus* 'bent thing', 'twisted behavior', 'excess'. So the original semantic
focus seems to have been on "locking," such as "lid."

Older Frisian had "lok" for "hole" as well. This is with a open [O]. (19th
century form).
With more closed [o] we have lok = "luck". lokke ([lOk@]) is a lock of hair
as well.

I consider it unlikely, albeit not impossible, that the following words are
related to the above: Gaelic *loch* (inlet, gorge, lake) and Romance **lak-*(
*lacus*, *lago*, etc.) 'lake', Latin *lacuna* 'hole', 'pit' (> Spanish *
laguna* > English "lagoon"), etc., all going back to Indo-European
**lak-*'basin' > Old Norse
*lögr* 'flood water', Old English *lacu* 'stream', *lagu* 'flood',
*leccan*'to moisten', related to "leak" as well as Dutch
*lek*, LS *lek* (*Leck* > German *Leck*), etc., and these are probably
related to the "lick" group.

If there is a connection with the "lack" group seems to be uncertain. It
doesn't seem impossible to me.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

Regards,
Henno
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