lalë

• lalo

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”).[1] Possibly from dialectal Persian لالا (lâlâ, “elder brother”) via dialectal Ottoman Turkish لالا (lala),[2] compare dialectal sense “sister”,[3] whereas the standard and widely attested sense is “tutor”.[2] Sense 2 may have possibly arisen given the reported usage of the word as particular of the region.[1]

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[1]

      Synonym: gjysh

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

   Synonym: myzeqar

• “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]‎ (in Albanian), 1980