An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schlaf

by Friedrich Kluge

Schlaf (1.), m., Schläfe, f., ‘temple,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. slâf, m.; Schläfe is prop. the plur. of Schlaf, referring to both the temples (comp. Lat. tempora); Du. slaap, ‘temple.’ In AS. þunwęnge, allied to OHG. tinna, MidHG. tinne and OHG. thinna-bahho, m., ‘temple,’ MidHG. tünewęnge, ‘temple’ (comp. dünn), OHG. dunwęngi, OIc. þunnvange, ‘temple.’ Beneath these similarly sounding terms lies the older Teut. term for ‘temple.’

Schlaf (2.), m., ‘sleep, slumber,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. slâf, m.; a verbal abstr. from schlafen, MidHG. slâfen, OHG. slâfan, str. vb., ‘to sleep.’ This form is peculiar to Teut. in this sense, and is wanting only in OIc., which has preserved sofa (Teut. root swef, Aryan swep), primit. allied to Lat. somnus, Gr. ὕπνος; Goth. slêps, ‘sleep,’ slêpan, ‘to sleep,’ AS. slœ́p, E. sleep, AS. slœ̂pan, E. to sleep, Du. slaap, slapen, OSax. slâp, slâpan. Comp. also the derivatives with r, OHG. slâfarag, MidHG. slâfrec, slœfric, ‘sleepy,’ OHG. slâfarôn (and slâfôn), MidHG. slâfern, ‘to be asleep, get sleepy.’ With the Teut. root slêp, ‘to sleep,’ appearing in these cognates, are also connected ModHG. schlaff and its Teut. correspondences; hence the prim. meaning of schlafen is probably ‘to be relaxed.’ For further references see under schlaff.