An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Ferge

by Friedrich Kluge

Ferge, masculine, ‘ferryman,’ from Middle High German vęrge, vęrje, vęre, Old High German fęrjo, fęro (nominative singular fęrjo, genitive and dative fęrin, accusative fęrjun), masculine, ‘mariner, ferryman.’ The j is changed into g after r as in Scherge, Latwerge. Gothic *farja, masculine, ‘mariner,’ is wanting. Most closely allied to Fähre; also akin to Gothic farjan, ‘to navigate,’ see root far under fahren.