vëlla

See also: vella and Vella

Albanian

Etymology 1

From a compound of Proto-Indo-European *swé (“self, one's”) and *h₁lewdʰ- (“grow”), whence respectively vetë (“self”) and lej (“to be born”).

Summary of theories

Bopp (1855) naively derives the plural form vëllazër from *bʰréh₂tēr, assuming a /t/ → /z/ shift and comparing Persian (birādar) for the vowel insertion.

Meyer (1891), noting parallel formations *swésōr and *swéḱuros, identifies it a compound of *swé, leaving the other component of the compound unexplained. He rejects comparison with *bʰréh₂tēr and Proto-Finnic *velji. This is partially later endorsed by Wiedemann (1902), who compares to Old Norse svili (“brother-in-law”). Demiraj (1997) also leaves the second element of the compound unexplained.

Meyer Studien, in light of a possible phonetic parallel avull (“steam”) from *n̥bʰrós (“cloud”), accepts derivation from *bʰréh₂tēr. For the loss of /t/ he compares the diminutives Lithuanian brólis, Serbo-Croatian brále / бра́ле, brájo / бра́јо, and for /a/ in place of expected /o/ assumes an eventual the shortening of the vowel. Also notices the Hesychian gloss βρά (brá, “brothers”), and suggests that its label “Elean” could be a copyist mistake for “Illyrian”.

Jokl (1923) carries on the compound idea and identifies its second element as *h₁lewdʰ-. This is endorsed by Tagliavini (1937), Tagliavini (1965), Orel (1998), Topalli (2017) and DPEWA.

Huld (1984) tentatively compares with Latin avunculus (“maternal uncle”).

Alternative forms

vlla — colloquial or dialectal
vdha — dialectal, northwestern Gheg
vulla — Molise, Calabria
vlla, ulla — San Marzano
vlo, vllo — Borgo Erizzo

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /vəˈɫa/
(Gheg) IPA^(key): [ˈvɫaː]
(northwestern Gheg) IPA^(key): [ˈvðaː]
(Sicily, Hydra) IPA^(key): [ˈvɣaː]
(Ururi) IPA^(key): [vuˈaː]
(Portocannone) IPA^(key): [ˈwaː]
(Falconara, Acquaformosa) IPA^(key): [vuˈlaː]
(Borgo Erizzo) IPA^(key): [ˈvlɔ], [ˈvɫɔ]
Rhymes: -a

Noun

vëlla m (plural vëllezër, definite vëllai, definite plural vëllezërit)

brother (son of the same parents)
Synonyms: (colloquial) byrazer, (by a younger brother) bacë, (by a younger brother or sister) lalë, (endearing) vëllath, (regional) apë
half-brother, stepbrother [with prej or për ‘shared parent’]
Synonym: (expicitely) vëlla i gjetur

vëlla prej nënës ― half-brother by mother
blood brother, oath brother
Synonyms: vëllam, probatin
compatriot, fellow countryman
Synonyms: bashkëkombës, bashkatdhetar
companion, comrade, one who shares one's condition or ideals
Synonyms: shok, mik

vëllezër armësh ― brothers in arms
Friendly form of address for a man or boy. brother
More vëlla! ― Hey brother!
(botany) sucker (stem growing from the roots of a plant)
Synonyms: këlysh, binjak, kopil, lastar

Declension

Declension of **vëlla**
	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	vëlla	vëllai	vëllezër	vëllezërit
accusative	vëlla	vëllanë	vëllezër	vëllezërit
dative	vëllai	vëllait	vëllezërve	vëllezërve
ablative	vëllai	vëllait	vëllezërish	vëllezërve

Variant declension forms of *vëlla*
	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	vëlla vlla — colloquial or dialectal vdha — northwestern Gheg vlla, ulla — San Marzano vulla — Molise, Calabria vlo, vllo — Borgo Erizzo	vëllai vëllau — uncommon or dialectal vëllaj, vllaj — Gheg vllau, vllav — Prishtina vllau, ullau — San Marzano vullau — Molise, Falconara vlai — Borgo Erizzo	vëllezër vëllazër — dialectal or archaic vëllazën, vllazën — Gheg vdhazën — northwestern Gheg vëllazëra — Mandrica vllazër, ullazër — San Marzano vullazëra, vullazra — Ururi, Portocannone, Campomarino vullazër — Ururi vullazëre — Montecilfone vullezër — Falconara vllezri — Vaccarizzo vlazni — Borgo Erizzo	vëllezërit vëllazënit, vllaznit — Gheg vdhaznit — northwestern Gheg vullazërat, vullazrat — Ururi, Portocannone, Campomarino vullazrit — Ururi vullazëret — Montecilfone vllezrit — Vaccarizzo vlaznit — Borgo Erizzo
accusative		vëllanë vëllaun — uncommon
dative	Identical to definite nominative singular except for: vullai — Ururi	vëllait vëllaut — uncommon	vëllezërve vdhaznive — northwestern Gheg	vëllezërve vëllezërvet — dated
ablative		vëllait vëllaut — uncommon	vëllezërish	vëllezërve vëllezërvet — dated

Derived terms

pavëlla
vëllaçko
vëllako
vëllalo
vëllam
vëllath
vëllavrasës
vëllavrasje
vëllazëri
vëllazërisht
vëllazëroj
vëllazëror
vëllazi
vëlleshë

Multi-word terms

vëlla e motër
vëlla gjaku
vëlla i gjetur
vëlla me hajmali
vëlla në katund
vëlla qumështi
vëlla shpirti
vëlla trojesh

References

FMGJSH (2026), “vëllá,~u”
FGJSSH (1980), page 2155a: “vëllá,~i”
Mann (1948), page 554ab: “vëllá”, page 561a: “vlla, vëllá”
Weigand (1914), page 99a: “vëllā-j” = Leotti (1916), page 183: “vëllāj”
Bashkimi (1908), page 496: “vllaa”
Kristoforidhi (1904), page 19: “βε̯λᾶ-ι”
Jungg (1895), page 173a: “vλaa”
Rossi (1875), page 1329: “veλaa”, page 1317b: “velaa”, page 1349: “vλaa”
Bardhi (1635), page 27: “frater” → “vellaa”
Etymological works:
- Bopp (1855), page 3: “υε̯λά”
- Meyer (1891), pages 469f.: “vɛłā́”
- Meyer Studien, vol. 3, §63 page 36: “vłā”
- Wiedemann (1902), page 222: “vɛłā́”
- Jokl (1923), pages 41–46: “vɛła”
- Tagliavini (1937), page 285: “vlǫ”
- Tagliavini (1965), page 121: “vllá”
- Huld (1984), page 128f: “vëlla-i”
- Orel (1998), pages 503f.: “vëlla”
- Topalli (2017), page 1565ab: “vëllá”
- DPEWA, “vëllá”
Dialectal works:
- AIS, map 13, point 751: “vulā́”
- Giordano (1963), page 538b: “vëllá-i”, page 547a: “vllá-u”
- Shuteriqi (1965), page 169: “vëlla-i”
- Kamsi (2000), page 302a: “vëla-u”, “vla-u”
- Fiorilli (2002), page 158: “vullâ”
- Pignoli & Tartaglione (2007), page 229b: “vullá”
- Gerbino (2010), page 136: “vëllá”
- Pugliese & Agresti (2015), pages 113f.: “fratello” → “vulla”
- Gallo (2017), page 159a: “vlla/u”

Etymology 2

Has been tentatively compared to avull (“steam”) and valë (“extremely hot”).

Noun

vëllâ m (definite vëllani) (dialectal, northwestern Gheg)

hottest period of the year, heat wave
Synonyms: djegagur, zheg

References

Gazulli (1942), page 452: “vëllâ”
Çabej SE, vol. 7, pages 369f.: “vullâ” → “vëlla”