schwalbe

From Middle High German swalwe, from Old High German swalwa, from Proto-West Germanic *swalwā. Cognate with Middle Dutch swaluwe (modern Dutch zwaluw), Old Saxon swala, Old English swealwe (modern English swallow), Old Norse svala (Danish svale, Swedish svala). The football sense from a saying „Der fliegt wie ’ne Schwalbe!“ (“The man flies like a swallow!”), or the like, punning on fliegen in the sense of “to fall”. Compare hinfliegen (“to fall down”).