An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Esel

by Friedrich Kluge

Esel, masculine, ‘ass,’ from the equivalent Middle High German ęsel, Old High German ęsil, masculine; corresponds to Old Saxon ęsil, Dutch ezel, Anglo-Saxon ęsol, eosol, Gothic asilus (whence Old Slovenian osĭlŭ), ‘ass.’ It is self-evident that these cognates are related to Latin asinus. Yet it is remarkable that the Romance languages have not an l, but an n in the suffix; Spanish asno, Old French asne (whence Old Icelandic asne), Modern French âne, Italian asino (the Latin diminutive asellus does not come under consideration, since it is not found in any Romance language; compare further Assel). For the change of n to l in derivatives, see Himmel, Kümmel, Orgel. The abnormal Anglo-Saxon assa (equivalent to English ass) may be traced back to Old Irish assan, borrowed, with the usual change of sound, from the Latin. Consequently all the cognates come from Italy; no primitively word for ‘ass’ can be sound in any language of the Aryan group. — The term Kelleresel is a late imitation of Italian asello; the equivalent Assel appears, however, to be unconnected with it.