mæle
Danish
Etymology
From Old Norse mæli (“speech”) and mæla (“to speak”), both from mál (“language, speech, matter, affair”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈmɛːlə/, [ˈmeːlə]
Noun
mæle n (singular definite mælet, not used in plural form)
- speech, voice
Verb
mæle (imperative mæl, present mæler, past mælte or mælede, past participle mælet or mælt)
- utter (to say)
References
- “mæle” in Den Danske Ordbog
- “mæle,2” in Den Danske Ordbog
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology 1
From Old Norse mæli (“speech”) and mæla (“for the verb, to speak”), both from mál (“language, speech, matter, affair”).
Noun
mæle n (definite singular mælet, indefinite plural mæler, definite plural mæla or mælene)
- speech, voice
Derived terms
- ettermæle
Verb
mæle (imperative mæl, present mæler, past mælte, past participle mælt)
- to utter (to say)
Etymology 2
Uncertain.
Verb
mæle (imperative mæl, present mæler, past mælte, past participle mælt)
- to punch, throw or kick something or someone hard and without purpose or aim
References
- “mæle” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology 1
From Old Norse mæli n (“utterance”).[1] Related to mæle in Etymology 2, deriving ultimately from Proto-Germanic *maþlą.
Alternative forms
- Mæle (obsolete capitalization)[2]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /²meːlə/
Noun
mæle n (definite singular mælet, indefinite plural mæle, definite plural mæla)
- voice
- ability to speak
- (in compounds) speak, words
Derived terms
- einmæle
- ettermæle
- motmæle
Etymology 2
From Old Norse mæla (“to say, utter”),[1] from Proto-Germanic *maþlijaną (“to speak”).
Alternative forms
- mæla (a-infinitive)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /²meːlə/
Verb
mæle (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)
- to say, utter
Etymology 3
Unknown.[1][3]
Alternative forms
- mæla (a-infinitive)
Verb
mæle (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)
- (transitive, colloquial) to kick, throw, or beat (a ball) forcefully and aimlessly
Etymology 4
From Old Norse mæla (“to measure”),[4] from Proto-Germanic *mēlijaną (“to mark, stain, paint”).
Alternative forms
- mæla (a-infinitive)
Verb
mæle (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)
- to measure ((pre-2012) alternative form of måla[5])
Etymology 5
From Old Norse mælir m (“measure”).[1]
Alternative forms
- Mæle (obsolete capitalization)[2]
Noun
mæle m (definite singular mælen, indefinite plural mælar, definite plural mælane)
- an old unit of measure
References
- “mæle” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
- Ivar Aasen (1850), “Mæle”, in Ordbog over det norske Folkesprog, Oslo: Samlaget, published 2000
- “mæle_4” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
- “måle” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
- "Innstilling til ny rettskriving for det nynorske skriftmålet" (in Norwegian) p. 55