318 
be inflicted on him and bis parents.” * * * § These are good examples 
of the facility with which reasons, more or less plausible, may 
be adduced in support of any etymology. Abel (Habel) is now 
generally regarded as a variant and derivative of the Chaldeo- 
Assyrian ablu , “ son f but I am far from claiming any primeval 
character for this latter language, although we find in it some of 
the earliest known forms of antediluvian names, as, e.g ., admu , 
Heb. adam (dark-red), “ man.” 
Leaving sacred books and their associations, let us suppose 
that we wish to know the primeval name given by man to his 
best, and probably first, friend, — the dog. In the abstract it is 
evident that the animal might not unnaturally have been called, 
in the first instance, Bunner, Barker, Biter, etc. Will investi- 
gation assist us, and reveal what really took place ? Take the 
the word dog itself. Prof. Skeat J gives Middle Eng. “ dogge 
(2 syllables). Not found in A. S., but an old low German word: 
Du. dog , a mastiff; Swed. dogg , a mastiff; Dan. dogge , a bull- 
dog. Boot unknown.” Bichardson § well observes, “ Although 
the word in English is applied to every species, yet in the other 
dialects it is the large hunting-dog, Canis grandis et vena - 
ticus” ; and we may well connect it with Kick || with the 
European formation, dhav ; meaning, primarily, “ to flow ” ; 
and the Sk. root, dhavf^ which has the same primary significa- 
tion, and hence means to move quickly, — run, advance against, 
assault, — a line of idea most appropriate in connexion with the 
canis venations . The root dhav is, we find, connected with 
one or two other roots, as dhanv , and dhan , which latter has 
the general meaning of “ to move ” or “ cause to move ” ; and the 
Gk. thed (0ff ) “ to run,” is a connected form. Thus, dog , pro- 
bably means “ runner,” but, as noticed,** there was another and 
indeed a Proto-Aryan word for the animal, i.e ., kwan or kvan , 
Sk. svan , Zend span , Gk. kuon , Lat. can-is , Teutonic base, 
hun (i.e. kwan ), Goth, hunds , Du. hond , Icel. hundr , Dan. 
Swed. and Germ, hund , Eng. hound , Lith. szu (= szan-s 
=szvan-s ), Irish cu , Gael, cu , Welsh ci. Here is a word 
whose use is almost conterminous with the Aryan race, and one 
which probably is older than the most archaic form of the word 
* Kitto, Cyclop, of Bib. Lit., in voc. Abel. 
t Vide Lenormant, Les Origines , 12. 
% An Etymological Did. of the Eng. Lang., arranged on an Historical 
Basis, 1879. In voc. 
§ New Diet, of the Eng. Language , 1836. In voc. 
|| Ver. Wort, der Ind. Spr., i. 635. 
IT Prof. Monier Williams, Sh.-Eng. Did. In voc. 
** B.M.A., 49. 
