eala gif

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ͜ɑː.lɑː jif/

Phrase

ēalā ġif

1. if only
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Saints Alexander, Eventius, and Theodosius"

     Ēalā ġif þū wǣre hund!

     If only you were a dog!

   • c. 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English

     Ēalā ġif iċ hæfde feoh.

     If only I had money.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Passion of the Blessed Martyr Lawrence"

     Ēalā ġif iċ mōste þām ēadigan Laurentium ġeefenlǣċan!

     If only I could imitate the blessed Lawrence!

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle"

     Ēalā ġif þū witan woldest þǣre hālgan rōde ġerȳnu.

     If only you knew the sacred mysteries of the cross.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The First Sunday in September"

     Iōb cwæþ, "Ēalā ġif mīna synna and mīn iermþ þe iċ þoliġe wǣren āweġena on ānre wǣgan, þanne wǣren hīe swǣrran ġesewena þanne sandcorn on sǣ."

     Job said, "If only my sins and the misery I suffer were weighed on a scale; then they would appear heavier than the sandgrains in the sea."