golf

n.

(1) 'deep pool of water'; (2) 'a space underground (as source of a stream)'

(Modern English )

Etymology

Two different identifications have been proposed for golf at Pe 608 (‘oþer goteʒ of golf þat neuer charde’): (1) The simplest explanation, favoured by most commentators (thus OED, MED, Osgood and Goll), is to read it as instance of MnE gulf < from OFr golfe. (2) EVG (608n and Gordon and Onions 1933: 176) alternatively suggests derivation from ON, cp. OIcel golf 'floor, room, compartment' (if identical with PDE N dial. goave, goaf, on which see further OED), in context indicating a deep source. ME golf < ON golf otherwise means 'heap of sheaves in a barn'.

PGmc Ancestor


 

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

(2) golf 'floor, room, compartment'
(ONP (2) golf (sb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far gólv, Icel gólf, Norw dial golv, Dan gulv, Sw golv

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

DD2

Attestation

(1) MED gives a handful of widespread citations in ME, more common in MnE; (2) PDE dial. goave, goaf 'hollow, depression' is N, and ME golf, MnE goaf 'heap of sheaves in a barn' is characterisitically E Angl (MED, OED).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Pe 608

Bibliography

(1) MED gǒulf (n.) , OED gulf (n.) , HTOED , DEAF golfe; (2) MED golf (n.) , EDD goaf (sb.2), de Vries golf, Mag. gólf