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HOBBLE is a typical aporetic term, as it contains several irreconcilable and
contradictory meanings, these are mainly:
(1) - c.1300, hoblen "to rock back and forth, toss up and down" probably
related to its Dutch cognate hobbelen (which, however, is not recorded
before late 15c.). Meaning "to walk lamely" is from c.1400. probably an
alteration of 16c. hopple, cognate with Flemish hoppelen "to rock, jump,"
which also is related to Du. hobbelen. Sense of "hamper, hinder" is c.1870.
Related: Hobbled; hobbling. The noun is 1727, from the verb.
(2) - A half century later, a transitive sense of "tie the legs (of an
animal)" was introduced. It was first recorded in 1831.
Today 'HOBBLE' is essentially a rope used in horse cultures around the
world. Hobble restraints are applied to the hind legs are often referred to
as a hind leg hobble, while those in front are called front leg hobbles. The
historical use of hobbles with a trained or "broke" horse was, and remains,
primarily to slow him from wandering too far, too quickly. The hobble was
often around a leg, was twisted several times in between and then tied
around the other leg.
It is this second meaning, that of "the tying the legs of an animal" that I
am interested in, as it follows the theme of 'binding' I am pursuing.
In researching the word, I wondered what was behind the connection of the
first meaning. Had the occurrence of the meanings (1) and (2) been
reversed, it would have made a lot of sense. First 'tying the legs', as the
original meaning, which would lead to a secondary meaning; to cause to limp
on the account of being shackled. Unfortunately, that was not to be the
case. Hence, the puzzling etymology one is faced with.
After some research, I came up with a possible answer:
It goes like this: I compared the first meaning i.e. 'to rock back and
forth, toss up and down' with that of the Classical Arabic 'khbl' which
means: Affected with shaking palsy, corruptness unsoundness or a vitiated,
or a disorder of limbs or members, of a man, so that one knows not how to
walk. Likewise, it signifies the same as the wobbling legs of a beast.
See fig. 1
http://www.theegyptianchronicles.com/LINKS/HBL.html
(لسان العرب)
خبل
لخَبْلُ، بالتسكين: الفسادُ. ابن سيده: الخَبْل فساد الأَعضاء حتى لا يَدْري
كيف يمشي فهومُتَخَبِّل خَبِل مُخْتَبَل
Then, I compared the second meaning (tie the legs of an animal) with
Classical Arabic: H.bl; which means: one who binds, ties, makes fast, hence
to HOBBLE.. A rope a cord, and or a snare (CABLE). see fig. 2
http://www.theegyptianchronicles.com/LINKS/HBL.html
حبل
(لسان العرب)
الحَبْل: الرِّباط، بفتح الحاء، والجمع أَحْبُل وأَحبال وحِبال وحُبُول؛
ومن أَمثالهم: يا حابِلُ اذْكُرْ حَلاًّ أَي يا من يَشُدُّ الحَبْلَ اذكر وقت
حَلِّه
والحِبالة: التي يصاد بها، وجمعها حَبائل
والمُحْتَبَل من الدابة: رُسْغُها لأَنه موضع الحَبْل الذي يشدّ في
ويقال للرَّمْل يستطيل حَبْل، والحَبْل الرَّمْل المستطيل شُبِّهبالحَبل
BTW This Arabic term H.BL also cognates with:
B. HEBREW
(see Strong's)
# 2254 CHABAL/ khaw-bal' a primitive root; to wind tightly (as a rope), i.e.
to bind;
# 2260 CHIBBEL / khib-bale' (Prov 23:34) from 'chabal' (2254) (in the sense
of furnished with ropes); a mast. See fig. 3
http://www.theegyptianchronicles.com/LINKS/HBL.html
Then, I compared with the old French: CHABLE (cable)
ÉTYMOL. ET HIST. I.- 1. Ca 1170 chables « gros cordages » (Rois, 182 dans
T.-L. [lat. funes]); ca 1180 mar. agn. cable (Horn, éd. M.K. Pope, 2922); ca
1243 pic. kables (Ph. Mouskès, Chron., 13327 dans T.-L); 2. 1688 « mesure de
120 brasses » (Miege, The Great French dict., London); 3. 1867 « ensemble de
fils conducteurs » (Lar. 19e); 4. id. archit. (ibid.). II.- 1897 «
télégramme transmis par câble » (Hermant, Transatlant., p. 13 dans Bonn.) du
b. lat. capulum « espèce de corde » (Isidore dans TLL s.v., 382, 62). Le
type normanno-picard en ca- a concurrencé de bonne heure la forme francienne
en cha- et l'a définitivement évincée au cours du xviiies. (Trév.), à la
faveur du vocab. maritime. Les formes du type cheable, chaable (xiiieet
xives. dans Gdf. Compl. et T.-L.), d'où le fr. mod. câble avec a long, sont
dues à un croisement avec l'a. fr. chaable « catapulte », v. chablis, les
câbles servant à la manœuvre de cette machine. II abrév. de câblogramme*;
cf. la forme apocopée cable de l'angl. cablegram, attesté dep. 1884 (NED).
and further with:
CABLE (v.) c.1500, "to tie up with cables;" 1871, Amer.Eng., "to transmit
by cable;" from cable (n.). Related: Cabled; cabling.
CONCLUSION: Deconstructing the term Hobble here, was the key to understand
its ultimate irreconcilable meanings. In my opinion such contradiction may
have resulted from the merge of two different words.
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NEXT: Proof of the relatedness of these cognates; by extending the
investigation to relevant synonyms.
Ishinan
January 22, 2012