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 برادر (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)

1. 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

2. half-brother, stepbrother [with prej or për ‘shared parent’]

   Synonym: (expicitely) vëlla i gjetur

   vëlla prej nënës ― half-brother by mother

3. blood brother, oath brother

   Synonyms: vëllam, probatin

4. compatriot, fellow countryman

   Synonyms: bashkëkombës, bashkatdhetar

5. companion, comrade, one who shares one's condition or ideals

   Synonyms: shok, mik

   vëllezër armësh ― brothers in arms

6. Friendly form of address for a man or boy. brother

   More vëlla! ― Hey brother!

7. (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		vëllanë
dative	vëllai	vëllait	vëllezërve	vëllezërve
ablative			vëllezërish

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			vëllezërish

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)

1. hottest period of the year, heat wave

   Synonyms: djegagur, zheg

References

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