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==English==
==English==

===Pronunciation===
* {{rhymes|ɒlə(ɹ)}}


===Etymology 1===
===Etymology 1===
{{root|en|ine-pro|*peh₂-}}
From Hindi [[-wālā]] 'man, person in charge', from Sanskrit [[pāla]] 'protector'
Either from {{der|en|hi|-वाला||pertaining to}} or from {{bor|en|hi|वाला||person in charge}}.

====Alternative forms====
* {{alt|en|waala|waalah|walah|wala|vaala|vaalah|valah|walla}}

====Pronunciation====
* {{IPA|en|/ˈwɑːlə/|/ˈwɒlə/}}
* {{audio|en|LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah.wav|a=Southern England}}
* {{rhymes|en|ɑːlə|ɒlə|s=2}}


====Noun====
====Noun====
{{en-noun}}
{{en-noun}}


# {{India}} A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified after it, for example ''kitchen wallah''.
# {{lb|en|India}} A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example ''kitchen wallah''.
#* {{quote-book|en|year=1931|author=George Orwell|title=A Hanging|passage=Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas.}}
#* '''1931''', George Orwell, ''A Hanging''
# {{lb|en|India|historical}} {{short for|en|competition wallah}}
#*: Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas.
# {{British|slang}} A [[guy]] or [[bloke]].
# {{lb|en|British|slang}} A [[guy]] or [[bloke]].


=====Derived terms=====
=====Derived terms=====
{{col3|en
* [[boxwallah]], [[boxwalla]]
|{{l|en|boxwallah}}, {{l|en|boxwalla}}
* [[punkahwallah]]
|base wallah
|compass wallah
|competition wallah
|dudhwallah
|ground wallah
|puncture-wallah
|punkahwallah
}}


===Etymology 2===
===Etymology 2===
From {{der|en|ar|وَٱللّٰه|lit=by God}}. {{root|en|ar|ء ل ه}}
In most cases, this is simply a phonetic misspelling by a person unfamiliar with the French term. However, in some cases, a relationship may be assumed with Arabic [[والله]] ''wallah'' meaning "by God" or "I swear to God!".

====Alternative forms====
* {{alt|en|wallahee|wallahi|wellah|wullah}}

====Pronunciation====
* {{IPA|en|/ˈwɑ(l.)lɑːh/}}, {{IPA|en|/wəˈlɑː(h)/}}
* {{audio|en|LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav|a=Southern England}}
* {{rhymes|en|ɑː|ɑːh|s=2}}

====Adverb====
{{en-adv|-}}

# {{lb|en|Islam}} [[by God]] ([[Allah]]); [[may God be my witness]]. {{non-gloss definition|Used in making a solemn oath}}

===Etymology 3===
A corruption of {{m|en|voilà}}.

====Interjection====
====Interjection====
{{head|en|interjection}}
'''wallah!'''


# Voilà.
# {{misspelling of|voilà}}


===References===
===References===
* {{R:Websters}}
* {{R:Websters}}


{{C|en|People}}
[[et:wallah]]
{{catlangname|en|heteronyms}}
[[ko:wallah]]

[[ku:wallah]]
==Danish==
[[my:wallah]]

[[vi:wallah]]
===Etymology===
[[zh:wallah]]
Borrowed from {{bor|da|ar|وَٱللّٰه}}.

===Interjection===
{{head|da|intj}}

# {{lb|da|slang}} {{ngd|Generic intensifier.}}

==French==

===Etymology===
{{bor+|fr|ar|وَٱللّٰه|t=I swear by God}}.

===Pronunciation===
* {{fr-IPA}}
* {{audio|fr|LL-Q150 (fra)-WikiLucas00-wallah.wav}}

===Interjection===
{{fr-intj}}

# {{lb|fr|slang}} [[wow]] {{gloss|an expression of surprise}}
# {{lb|fr|slang|Tunisia}} I'm serious

==German==

===Etymology===
{{bor+|de|ar|وَٱللّٰه|t=I swear by God}}, likely via [[W:Turks in Germany|Turkish]] [[valla#Turkish|valla]].

===Pronunciation===
* {{IPA|de|[ˈwala]|[ˈvala]|[waˈlːah]}}

===Interjection===
{{head|de|interjection}}

# {{lb|de|slang}} {{ngd|Generic intensifier.}}

===Adverb===
{{de-adv}}

# {{lb|de|slang}} {{lb|de|tag question|rather|_|formal}} {{l|en|right|id=checking engagement and agreement}}?
#: {{syn|de|wa|gell|ne|nicht|nicht wahr|oder}}

===Further reading===
* {{R:Duden}}
* {{R:DWDS}}
* {{R:UniLeipzig}}

==Swedish==

===Alternative forms===
* {{alt|sv|walla}}

===Etymology===
Borrowed from {{bor|sv|ar|وَٱللّٰه}}.

===Interjection===
{{head|sv|interjection}}

# {{lb|sv|Islam}} {{l|en|wallah}} (when making an oath)
#: {{syn|sv|mammas död}}
#: {{ux|sv|– Är det sant? – '''Wallah'''! Jag svär!|– Is that true? – '''Wallah'''! I swear!}}
# {{lb|sv|slang}} {{ngd|Generic intensifier.}}

====Related terms====
* {{l|sv|wallahi}}

====See also====
* {{l|sv|jalla}}
* {{l|sv|no cap}}

===References===
* [http://www.fulaordboken.se/Ordboken/?Ord=wallah Fula Ordboken]
* [http://www.slangopedia.se/ordlista/?ord=wallah Slangopedia]

Latest revision as of 01:58, 5 September 2024

English

[edit]

Etymology 1

[edit]

Either from Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”) or from Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”).

Alternative forms

[edit]

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

wallah (plural wallahs)

  1. (India) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah.
    • 1931, George Orwell, A Hanging:
      Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas.
  2. (India, historical) Short for competition wallah.
  3. (British, slang) A guy or bloke.
Derived terms
[edit]

Etymology 2

[edit]

From Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”).

Alternative forms

[edit]

Pronunciation

[edit]

Adverb

[edit]

wallah (not comparable)

  1. (Islam) by God (Allah); may God be my witness. Used in making a solemn oath

Etymology 3

[edit]

A corruption of voilà.

Interjection

[edit]

wallah

  1. Voilà.

References

[edit]
  • Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967

Danish

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh).

Interjection

[edit]

wallah

  1. (slang) Generic intensifier.

French

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, “I swear by God”).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Interjection

[edit]

wallah

  1. (slang) wow (an expression of surprise)
  2. (slang, Tunisia) I'm serious

German

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, “I swear by God”), likely via Turkish valla.

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • IPA(key): [ˈwala], [ˈvala], [waˈlːah]

Interjection

[edit]

wallah

  1. (slang) Generic intensifier.

Adverb

[edit]

wallah

  1. (slang) (tag question, rather formal) right?
    Synonyms: wa, gell, ne, nicht, nicht wahr, oder

Further reading

[edit]
  • “wallah” in Duden online
  • “wallah” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • “wallah” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon

Swedish

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh).

Interjection

[edit]

wallah

  1. (Islam) wallah (when making an oath)
    Synonym: mammas död
    – Är det sant? – Wallah! Jag svär!
    – Is that true? – Wallah! I swear!
  2. (slang) Generic intensifier.
[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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