German loans meaning "fork" in Baltic languages
- Thread starter rushalaim
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tahvel (tahfel) makes me think of "die Tafel" = (large) dining table, but has nothing to do with "fork".
This dictionary says the Estonian word for fork is "kahvel".
Where did you find that? Estonian tahvel is indeed from German Tafel or at least influenced by it but I only find the meaning blackboard, which is one of meanings of Tafel in German as well.
PS: Crossed with above.
From Gabel in general. A Heugabel is only one special kind of fork. More precisely, it is from Gavel, the Low German version of the word. Most medieval German loans in Baltic languages are from Low German and not from High German. The German settlers in the Baltic were Low German speaking and Low German was also the language of the Hanseatic League.
While spoons, plates, knives, and cups have been used for a very long time when eating, it took time before the fork found its way to the table. The fork was introduced in Europe in the 10th century, and became popular among merchants in the 14th century. Most likely it was German merchants who brought the fork to the countries around the Baltic Sea, and their name for the modernity found its way into the languages, in Swedish it's "gaffel".
The history of the fork
Red Arrow
Senior Member
Nederlands (België)
Taldrik is from Swedish or Low German, nuga is a Finnic word and tass is from German.
The Swedish tallrik word goes further back to the French word tailloir (meaning cuttingboard) and Italian tagliere, based on French tailler and Italian tagliare, meaning to cut.
From Swedish etymology dictionary: 950 (Svensk etymologisk ordbok)
Levia Van Kales
Clone of banned member
English - Britain
“tahvel” seemingly rings much alike the German “Teufel” (devil). The devil is oft depicted with a pitchfork/fork.
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It has already been established that the OP confused tahvel with kahvel and that there is no relation between tahvel and fork. And Teufel and Tafel are unrelated and there is only a very superficial similarity between these two words; a similarity, which can hardly be relevant to this discussion unless a connection can positively be demonstrated.