While you take in hand to school others, and to teach them by what name a whale-fish is to be called in our tongue, leaving out, through ignorance, the letter H, which almost alone maketh up the signification of the word, you deliver that which is not true.” – Hackluyt.
“WHALE. *** Sw. and Dan. hval. This animal is named from roundness or rolling; for in Dan. hvalt is arched or vaulted.” – Webster’s Dictionary.
“WHALE. *** It is more immediately from the Dut. and Ger. Wallen; A.S. Walw-ian, to roll, to wallow.” – Richardson’s Dictionary.
