gäll

See also: gall and Gall

Alemannic German

Etymology

Clipping of gelt es, from gelten (“to be valid”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡæl/

Particle

gäll

  1. (colloquial, regional, Switzerland, Southern Germany) emphasis and question marker particle; asks for confirmation; right?; eh?; isn't it, innit?
    Synonyms: oder, (Chiefly Northwestern Germany) ne, (Eastern Germany) wa; see also Thesaurus:nicht wahr
    S'isch scho härzig, gäll? ― That's cute, isn't it?
  2. (colloquial, regional, Switzerland, Southern Germany) particle that softens a request, or conveys friendliness; okay?; please?
    Sorry, gäll? ― I'm sorry, okay?

Alternative forms

Swedish

Etymology 1

Used in Swedish since 1674, same as Icelandic gjallur, like Middle Low German adverb gelle (“loud”), based on the obsolete Swedish verb gälla (“to yell”), from Old Swedish gælla (from Old Norse gjalla, from Proto-Germanic *gellaną), cognate with Icelandic gjalla, Old High German gellan (German gellen), Old English ġiellan (English yell).

Adjective

gäll (comparative gällare, superlative gällast)

  1. shrill; high-pitched
Declension
Inflection of gäll
Indefinite positive comparative superlative1
common singular gäll gällare gällast
neuter singular gällt gällare gällast
plural gälla gällare gällast
masculine plural2 gälle gällare gällast
Definite positive comparative superlative
masculine singular3 gälle gällare gällaste
all gälla gällare gällaste

1 The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
2 Dated or archaic.
3 Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Etymology 2

From the verb gala (“to crow”), Old Swedish gæld.

Noun

gäll n

  1. a crow (of a rooster), a cockcrow, a cry
Declension
Declension of gäll
nominative genitive
singular indefinite gäll gälls
definite gället gällets
plural indefinite gäll gälls
definite gällen gällens
  • hanegäll

Etymology 3

From Old Swedish giæld, præstagiæld, corresponding to gäld (“payment”) (to the priest).

Noun

gäll n

  1. a vicarage, a pastorage, a parish, the area paying the salary (see gäld) for one priest
Declension
Declension of gäll
nominative genitive
singular indefinite gäll gälls
definite gället gällets
plural indefinite gäll gälls
definite gällen gällens
Synonyms

Verb

gäll

  1. imperative of gälla

See also

References

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