Norwegian/Danish: brækket Aker

[astri]

I'm curious if this word, Aker, comes from English acre(s). I found it in a letter written by a Norwegian-American in 1877. How would you translate bræket/brækket in this context?


"Ole Fosse … har bræket omkring 10 Aker"
"Halvor har brækket lidt over 10 Akeres ifjor"

 

[Svenke]

Yes, Aker is probably English acre.

Bræket, brækket seems to be Norwegian/Danish, modern Norwegian brekke 'break'. But I don't think that verb was used like that in Norwegian. I suspect it corresponds in meaning to Norwegian bryte 'break', Danish bryde. The latter verb is used about the initial preparation of new farmland.

Svenke.

 

[bicontinental]

[...bryde] The latter verb is used about the initial preparation of new farmland.

Yes, and so is the related verb, brække in older forms of Danish:

Brække: om pløjning af jord, der ikke før har været bearbejdet ell. har hvilet i længere tid;bryde (1.1). SjællBond.101. Feilb.
Ref: brække — ODS

Bic.