An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/spalten

by Friedrich Kluge

spalten, vb., ‘to split, cleave,’ from the equiv. MidHG. spalten, OHG. spaltan; comp. MidLG. spǫlden, MidDu. spalden, ‘to split.’ A str. vb. peculiar to the Teutons of Middle Europe, and based on an Aryan root, sphalt; comp. Sans. sphuṭ, sphaṭ (for sphlt), ‘to crack’ (causat. ‘to split’). Probably connected with MidHG. spëlte, ‘lance splinter,’ Goth. spilda, ‘tablet,’ OIc. spjald, ‘tablet.’