Revision as of 04:56, 22 October 2009 edit76.66.194.183 (talk) dict← Previous edit | Revision as of 11:22, 30 October 2009 edit undoSpartaz (talk | contribs)Administrators52,776 edits Misplaced Pages:Articles for deletion/Olifant closed as merge to ElephantNext edit → | ||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{afd-mergeto|Elephant|Olifant|30 October 2009}} | |||
<!-- Please do not remove or change this AfD message until the issue is settled --> | |||
{{AfDM|page=Olifant|logdate=2009 October 22|substed=yes}} | |||
<!-- For administrator use only: {{oldafdfull|page=Olifant|date=22 October 2009|result='''keep'''}} --> | |||
<!-- End of AfD message, feel free to edit beyond this point --> | |||
{{copy to wiktionary}} | {{copy to wiktionary}} | ||
Revision as of 11:22, 30 October 2009
This article was nominated for deletion. The discussion was closed on 30 October 2009 with a consensus to merge the content into the article Elephant. If you find that such action has not been taken promptly, please consider assisting in the merger instead of re-nominating the article for deletion. To discuss the merger, please use the destination article's talk page. (October 2009) |
Olifant and its variations (ex. oliphant, olyphant) are archaic spellings of elephant. Aside from elephants, the word has been used to refer to ivory, elephant tusks, musical horns made of elephant tusks, or a musical instrument resembling such horns.
It appears in Middle English as olifant or olifaunt, and was borrowed from Medieval French olifanz. In Dutch olifant means elephant. The French word owes something to both Old High German olbenta "camel", and to Latin elephantus "elephant", a word of Greek origin. OHG olbenta is a word of old Germanic origin; cf. Gothic 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 Greek 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 English speaking world. Although, other sources derive this from "Olive" meaning "peace-loving".
The Song of Roland features an olifant horn owned by the knight Roland.
The word is also used as a name in fiction such as The Canterbury Tales and The Lord of the Rings.
Bibliography
- Oxford English Dictionary OUP
- The Song of Roland, (Oxford text, 1972. Translated by Douglas David and Roy Owen. George Allen and Unwin, ISBN 0048410039)