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

• gell, gelle, gelt

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

Related terms

• 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

• pastorat

Related terms

• gäld
• prästgäll

Verb

gäll

1. imperative of gälla

See also

• bävergäll

References

• gäll in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)
• gäll in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)