lalë

See also: lale

Albanian

Alternative forms

• lalo

Etymology

Ultimately a babble word, compare jajë (“aunt”). Compare also Aromanian lalã (“uncle”), Greek λαλάς (lalás, “grandfather, governor, mentor”), λαλά (lalá, “grandmother”), Calabrian Greek leḍḍé (“brother”), leḍḍá (“sister”). Possibly from dialectal Persian لالا (lâlâ, “elder brother”) via dialectal Ottoman Turkish لالا (lala), compare dialectal sense “sister”, whereas the standard and widely attested sense is “tutor”. Sense 2 may have possibly arisen given the reported usage of the word as particular of the region.

Noun

lalë m (plural lalë, definite lala)

1. (colloquial) older male relative
   1. father (by his children), especially if young

      Synonyms: atë, baba

   2. older brother (by his siblings)

      Synonym: vëlla i madh

   3. older brother-in-law (by his siblings-in-law)

      Synonym: kunat i madh

   4. uncle (by his nephews and nieces)

      Synonym: xhaxha

   5. term of address for a close friend. mate, dude
   6. (archaic) grandfather

      Synonym: gjysh

3. (archaic, sometimes derogatory) an inhabitant of Myzeqe

   Synonym: myzeqar

Derived terms

• lalth

 

Further reading

• “lalë”, in FGJSH: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe [Dictionary of the Albanian language] (in Albanian), 2006
• “lalë”, in FGJSSH: Fjalor i gjuhës së sotme shqipe [Dictionary of the modern Albanian language]‎^[1] (in Albanian), 1980