The Lark

Mast

Mast

The Lark

“It was the lark — the herald of the morn.”

lark (n. 1) Songbird of the Old World, early 14c., earlier lauerche (c. 1200), from Old English lawerce (late Old English laferce); from Proto-Germanic *laiw(a)rikon (source also of Old Saxon lewerka, Frisian liurk, Old Norse lævirik, Dutch leeuwerik, German Lerche), a word of unknown origin. Old English and Old Norse forms suggest a contracted compound, perhaps meaning “treason-worker,” but “nothing is known in folklore to account for such a designation” [OED]. Noted for its early song and high flying (in contrast to its low nest). When the sky falls, we shall catch larks,” was an old proverb mocking foolish optimism. Latin alauda, “the lark” (source of Italian aloda, Spanish alondra, Provençal alauza, Old French aloe) is said to be from Gaulish (Celtic). True Latin names for the skylark were galerita, corydalus.

lark (n. 2) “Spree, frolic, merry adventure,” 1811, slang, of uncertain origin. Possibly a shortening of skylark (1809), sailors’ slang for “play rough in the rigging of a ship” (larks were proverbial for high-flying). Or perhaps it is an alteration of English dialectal or colloquial lake/laik “to play, frolic, make sport” (c. 1300, from Old Norse leika “to play,” from PIE *leig - (3) “to leap”) with unetymological -r- common in southern British dialect. The verb lake, considered characteristic of Northern English vocabulary, is the opposite of work but lacks the other meanings of play. As a verb, from 1813. Related: Larked; larking.

lark (v.) “To play tricks, frolic,” 1813; see lark (n.2). Related: Larked; larking.

Editors:

Emily Heinz
New York City, NY, USA

Laine E. Kuehn
Westbrook, ME, USA

Volume II, Issue II

  1. Katharine Rauk Minneapolis, MN, USA
  2. Sean Howard Main-a-Dieu, Nova Scotia, Canada
  3. Taylor Gray Moore Vancouver, BC, Canada
  4. Yuan Changming Vancouver, BC, Canada
  5. Sara Schraeter-Mowers Queens, NY, USA
  6. Christine Potter Hudson River Valley, NY, USA
  7. Michelle Donahue Salt Lake City, UT, USA
  8. Sid Pitt Salt Lake City, UT, USA
  9. Jay Leeming Ithaca, NY, USA

Volume II, Issue I

  1. Kevin Gislason Chicago, IL, USA
  2. Anita Goes New York City, NY, USA
  3. Sarah McCann Southborough, MA, USA
  4. Dean Baltesson Victoria, BC, Canada
  5. Lisa Roney Orlando, FL, USA
  6. Julianna D’Intino New York City, NY, USA
  7. Annie Blake Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  8. Kyle Newman Aurora, CO, USA

Volume I, Issue III

  1. Gale Acuff Zababdeh, Palestine
  2. Chelsea Bartlett Westbrook, ME, USA
  3. Lacie Garnes USA
  4. Sean Igoe, Hamden, CT, USA
  5. Cameron Morse, Blue Springs, CO, USA
  6. Esteban Pulido, Los Angeles, CA, USA
  7. Andy Stallings, Deerfield, MA, USA
  8. Hongri Yuan, China

Volume I, Issue II

  1. Parker Menzimer New York City, NY, USA
  2. Zach Mandeville New York City, NY, USA
  3. Jacob Fricke Belfast, ME, USA
  4. Elizabeth Cooke Rangeley, ME, USA
  5. Retina Stewart New York City, NY, USA
  6. Jeff Thompson Farmington, ME, USA
  7. Mary di Lucia New York City, NY, USA
  8. Jen Lighty Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Volume I, Issue I

  1. Lindsey Rae Gjording New York City, NY, USA
  2. John Rosenwald Farmington, ME, USA
  3. Anna Wagner Arlington, VA, USA
  4. James Carpenter Seattle, WA, USA
  5. Ida Gavois New York City, NY, USA
  6. Ann Arbor Farmington, ME, USA
  7. Connor Lawson New York City, NY, USA
  8. Steve MacFarlane New York City, NY, USA
  9. Emily Heinz New York City, NY, USA

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