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In explaining the the etymology of scarf, Grant says that is is related to a Dutch word for a quarter of a day, schoft, which was also used to mean a meal. In thinking about the division of the day into quarters, I wondered if schoft could be realted to the English for a work period - shift as in the graveyard shift. As the day is divided into work shifts it would seem logical that it would be related to schoft.
The OED has this for etymology:
[ME. schift, related to SHIFT v. Cf. ON. skipti neut., division, exchange (see SKIFT n.1), MSw. skipt fem., division of property, skipte neut. (? and fem.) division, portion, change (mod.Sw. skift neut., spell of work, relay of workmen, skifte neut., division of property, change, rotation of crops, spell of work, relay of workmen), NFris. skeft division, stratum, skaft one of successive parties of workmen.
Many of these senses belong also to MHG., MLG. schicht(e, mod.G. schicht division of property, stratum, layer, one of several sets of persons or things, period of working time (in mining), one of several successive parties of miners working together for a fixed period of hours. It seems probable that the Ger. word is identical with the Eng. and Scandinavian words, the substitution of (xt) for (ft) being found in other words introduced into standard German from LG. (cf. e.g. G. sacht = Eng. soft).]
And this for definition and usage:
12. a. A relay or change of workmen or {dag}of horses.
1708 J. C. Compleat Collier (1845) 33 [The] Pit will require..4 shifts of Horses..and indeed you shou'd have a spare Shift, or two Horses more ready. 1812 J. HODGSON in Raine Mem. (1857) I. 97 Two shifts or sets of men were constantly employed. 1879 Print. Trades Jrnl. XXIX. 9 Working day and night with separate shifts of workmen. 1884 Manch. Exam. 22 Feb. 5/2 He would have in all mines which are worked on the double-shift system a fresh examination of the workings..before the second shift goes down. 1912 Sphere 28 Dec. 326/1 The night shifts receive so much higher pay for their labour.
b. The length of time during which such a set of men work.
1809 T. DONALDSON Poems 132 Like miners, faith, we'll try a shift, An' work by turns. 1825 J. NICHOLSON Oper. Mech. 329 It is usual..to divide the men into two classes, one class to relieve the other every 12 hours: these periods are called shifts. 1851 GREENWELL Coal-trade Terms, Northumb. & Durh. 47 The payment for off-hand work.., is 3s. per shift of 8 hours. 1862 SMILES Engineers III. 25 They worked together for about two years, by twelve-hour shifts. 1913 Times 14 May 8/1 An eight hours day, with a standard rate of 5s. a shift.
transf. 1860 SMILES Self Help i. 17 These men..have often, during the busy season of Parliament, worked ‘double shift', almost day and night.
Emmett
wbtuffin said:
In explaining the the etymology of scarf, Grant says that is is related to a Dutch word for a quarter of a day, schoft, which was also used to mean a meal. In thinking about the division of the day into quarters, I wondered if schoft could be realted to the English for a work period – shift as in the graveyard shift. As the day is divided into work shifts it would seem logical that it would be related to schoft.
I don't think you mean the word 'Schoft' but the word 'Schaft'. 'Schoft' is something else, either the Dutch swear word for 'Bastard' or a horse's shoulder. 'Schoft hoogte', is the height of the horse's shoulder.
The verb 'Schaften' is what Grant said, all about eating. 'To eat' and 'Lunch break' but also 'I have nothing to do with that' as in 'Ik heb daar niets mee te schaften'.
By the way, we do three meals a day in Holland… I guess we eat every 33 1/3 of the day…not every quarter So we dont use the word as a 'quarter of the day'.
'Shift' as in periods of work, might come from the verb 'Schiften' which means 'To separate', 'To sort out' or in relation with milk 'Curdle' or 'Turn'.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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