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| '''Olifant''' and its variations (ex. '']'', '']'') are archaic spellings of ''']'''. Aside from elephants, it has been used to refer to ], ]s, ] made of elephant tusks, or a musical instrument resembling such horns. | |||
| It appears in ] as ''olifant'' or ''olifaunt'', and was borrowed from Medieval French ''olifanz''. The French word owes something to both ] ''olbenta'' "camel", and to Latin ''elephantus'' "elephant", a word of ] origin. OHG ''olbenta'' is a word of old ] origin; cf. ] ''ulbandus'' also meaning "camel". But the form of the OHG and Gothic words suggests it is also a borrowing, perhaps indeed directly or indirectly from ] ''elephas'' (ελεφας) literally "ivory", though apparently with some confusion as to the animal the word referred to. The word survives as the surname "Oliphant" found throughout the ] speaking world. It is also used in fiction such as '']'' and '']''. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| ==Bibliography== | |||
| * '']'' OUP | |||
| * '']'', (] text, 1972. Translated by Douglas David and Roy Owen. George Allen and Unwin, ISBN 0048410039) | |||
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Latest revision as of 15:01, 14 January 2011
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