Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1971, Page 111

Some Notes on Faroese Bird Names
119
The second component in júlkubbi or fúlkobbi is in all
probability identical with Faroese kubbi m., as mentioned
above. This word, with the same meaning, is common in the
other Scandinavian languages. In Icelandic it is found in the
forms kubbur and kubbi, in Norwegian kubb, kubbe, in
Swedish kubb, kobb, kubbe, kubba. In Icelandic and Nor-
wegian it is also used to refer to a short, stocky person. The
use of -kubbi has an exact parallel in a Norwegian name for
the little auk, sjøkutt, where the last component -kutt has a
meaning similar to -kubbi, and refers to the size and round
appearance of this bird. It should also be mentioned that
another Norwegian term for the little auk, alkekong(e) (or
variant sjøkong(e)), also probably shows a parallel to -kubbi
and -kutt if the second component -kong is interpreted to be
an abbreviation of ON kúfungr m. (also kúðungr), alluding to
the round figure of the bird. Still another Norwegian name
for the same bird is klubbalke, where the first component
klubb- likewise refers to the size and roundness of the little
auk.
Lockwood, as mentioned above, has suggested that -kobbi
in the fulkobbi form of the name is identical with kobbi m.
“seal”. If this is a widespread explanation of the name in the
Faroes, it is in all probability only an irrational popular ety-
mological interpretation, but it would serve to explain the
transition from -kubbi to -kobbi. Whether kobbi is in itself a
diminutive of or a pet form derived from kópur m. “seal” is
questionable. It seems reasonable to link it both etymologically
and semantically with kubbi and variants, (see Alex. Johannes-
son: Isl. Etym. Worterbuoh, p. 313). The meaning “seal” for
kobbi would then be secondary, the name originally having
referred to the seal’s roundness, compare Swedish kubbsal
“seal”. Noteworthy, too, are other Germanic usages of the
word: kobbe in Dutch and Frisian means “sea gull”, and cob
(or cobb) in English can mean “sea gull, esp. great black-
backed sea gull” (Webster Third New Internat. Dict.).