Etymology Dictionary

CARP (1),  a fresh-water fish.  (E.?)   'Carpe, fysche, carpus.'   Prompt. Parv. p. 62.   [The word is very widely spread, being found in all the Teutonic tongues; and hence it may be assumed to be an E. word.] + Du. karper. + Icel. karfi. + Dan. karpe. + Swed. karp. + O.H.G. charpho, M.H.G. karpfe, G. karpfen.   B. It even found its way into late Latin as early as the fifth century, being found in Cassiodorus, lib. xii. ep. 4:  'Destinet carpam Danubius;' quoted by Brachet.   From the late Lat. carpa are derived F. carpe, Span. carpa, Ital. carpione.   Cf. Gael. carbhanach uisge, a carp-fish.   ¶ As the word is merely a borrowed one in Latin, the suggested derivation from Lat. carpere, to pluck, is of no value.

CARP (2),  to cavil at.  (Scand.)   In Shak. Much Ado, iii. 1. 71; K. Lear, i. 4. 222.   α. There can be little doubt that the peculiar use of carp, in a bad sense, is due to its supposed connection with the Lat. carpere, to pluck, to calumniate.   At the same time, it is equally certain that the M.E. carpen is frequently used, as noted by Trench in his Select Glossary, without any such sinister sense.   Very frequently, it merely means 'to say,' as in to karpe the sothe, to tell the truth; Will. of Palerne, 503, 655, 2804.   It occurs rather early.   'Hwen thou art on eise, carpe toward Ihesu, and seie thise wordes' = when thou art at ease, speak to Jesus, and say these words; Old Eng. Homilies, ed. Morris, p. 287.   β. The word is Scandinavian, and had originally somewhat of a sinister sense, but rather significant of 'boasting' or 'prattling' than implying any malicious intent, a use of the word which is remarkably absent from Middle English; see the 26 examples of it in Mätzner's Wörterbuch.—Icel. karpa, to boast, brag. + Swed. dial. karpa, to brag, boast, clatter, wrangle, rant; more frequently spelt garpa (Rietz); cf. garper, a contentious man, a prattler, great talker.   γ. Shorter and more original forms appear in Swed. dial. karper, brisk, eager, industrious (Rietz); Icel. garpr, a warlike man, a bravo, a virago; Old Swed. garp, a warlike, active man; also, a boaster (Ihre).  Der. carp-er.