swa

See also: swą

Translingual

Symbol

swa

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Swahili.

Antillean Creole

Etymology

From French soie.

Noun

swa

1. silk

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Papiamentu swa, from Dutch zwager.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sʋaː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: swa
• Rhymes: -aː

Noun

swa m (plural swa's, diminutive swaatje n)

1. (slang, Netherlands, Antilles) mate, bud, friend

   Synonyms: gabber, maat, makker, mattie, vriend

   Ey swa, alles goed? ― Oi mate, how you doing?

Anagrams

• was

Gothic

Romanization

swa

1. Romanization of 𐍃𐍅𐌰

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French soir (“evening”).

Noun

swa

1. evening

Old English

Alternative forms

• swæ — Northumbrian

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *swā. See there for more.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swɑː/

Pronoun

swā

1. that, of that
   • æt menn fīftīene penningas and æt horse healf swā

     15 pennies for a man, and half that for a horse

Adverb

swā

1. in that way, like that
2. to the extent stated; to a great extent, so, very
   • Man meahte swā wīde ġesēon.

     You could see so far.

   • Genesis B

     Þis ofet is swā swēte.

     This fruit is so sweet.

3. doubled (with an interrogative pronoun) to mean 'whatever', 'whoever', etc

   swā hwæt swā ― whatever

   swā hwā swā ― whoever

   swā hwǣr swā ― wherever

   swā hwæder swā ― to wherever

   swā hwanon swā ― from wherever

   swā hwelċ swā ― whichever

   swā hwonne swā ― whenever

4. doubled as a correlative: the..., the..

   swā māre, swā betere

   the more, the better

   Swā þū nēar þām lēohte cymst, swā þīn sċadu māre wierþ.

   The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes.

   • the Old English Distichs of Cato

     Swā man māre spricþ, swā him lǣs manna ġelīefþ.

     The more you say, the fewer people believe you.

5. doubled as a comparative: as...as..

   swā smēðe swā ǣġru

   as smooth as eggs

6. used once as a comparative
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

     Wēnaþ þā dysegan þæt ǣlċ mann sīe blind swā hīe sind, and þæt nān mann ne mæġe ġesēon þæt hīe ġesēon ne magon.

     Fools think everyone is as blind as they are, and that no one can see what they cannot.

Conjunction

swā

1. like, as, the way (often doubled as "swā swā")

   Iċ bēo simle swā iċ eom.

   I'll always be the way I am.

   • Exeter Book, Riddle 24

     Hwīlum iċ grǣde swā gōs.

     Sometimes I cry like a goose.

   • Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, year 473

     Þā Wēalas flugon þā Englan swā swā fȳr.

     The Welsh fled the English like fire.

2. (temporal) when, while, as
3. so, with the result that
4. on condition that

Derived terms

• swā þēah
• swā swā

Descendants

• Middle English: so, swo; zo
  • English: so
  • Scots: sae
  • Yola: zo, zoo, sae

Papiamentu

Alternative forms

• sua (alternative spelling)

Etymology

From Dutch zwager (“brother-in-law”).

Noun

swa

1. friend, pal, comrade
2. brother-in-law

Descendants

• → Dutch: swa

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sfa/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: swa

Pronoun

swa

1. Alternative form of swoja.

Sranan Tongo

Etymology

Compare Saramaccan suwá and Aukan suwa. Likely from English sour.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swa/

Adjective

swa

1. sour

Noun

swa

1. acid

Tswana

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

swa

1. to die