palám-palám

Macanese

Etymology

Apparently from Malay pala-pala (“out and out”),^[1] although reason for nasalization is unclear. Possibly influenced by Malay palang (“cross shape”), where old windows and shutters used in Macau and/or the movement of arms when opening two windows simultaneously may have given the impression of a cross shape.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /paˈɫaŋ paˈɫaŋ/

Adverb

palám-palám

completely, fully^[2]
abrí janela palám-palám ― open the window(s) completely

References

^ Batalha, Graciete Nogueira (1988) “palã-palã”, in Glossário do dialecto macaense: notas linguísticas, etnográficas e folclóricas [Glossary of the Macanese dialect: linguistic, ethnographic and folkloric notes], Macau: Instituto Cultural de Macau, page 503
^ https://www.macaneselibrary.org/pub/english/uipatua.htm

[1] Batalha, Graciete Nogueira (1988) “palã-palã”, in Glossário do dialecto macaense: notas linguísticas, etnográficas e folclóricas [Glossary of the Macanese dialect: linguistic, ethnographic and folkloric notes], Macau: Instituto Cultural de Macau, page 503

[2] ttps://www.macaneselibrary.org/pub/english/uipatua.htm

[1]

[2]