الا

See also: ألا, آلا, and إلا

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology 1

Doublet of آلا.

Adjective

الا • (elâ or ala)

1. (of eyes) greyish-blue; azure; hazel

   Synonym: شهلا (şehla)

Descendants

• Turkish: ela

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Arabic إِلَّا (ʔillā).

Conjunction

الا • (illa)

1. except
2. unless

References

• Kélékian, Diran (1911) “الا”, in Dictionnaire turc-français‎^[1], Constantinople: Mihran, page 132
• Redhouse, James W. (1890) “الا”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon‎^[2], Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 179

Persian

Alternative forms

• الای (ellây) (Dari)

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Arabic إِلَّا (ʔillā).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ʔil.ˈlɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɪl.lɑ́ː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɪl.lɑ́ː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔɪl.lɑ́ː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔil.lɔ́ː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔel.lɒ́ː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔil.lɔ́]

Readings
Classical reading?	illā
Dari reading?	illā
Iranian reading?	ellâ
Tajik reading?	illo

Conjunction

الا • (ella)

1. except, save
2. without

   Synonym: بدون (bedun)

Preposition

الا • (ella)

1. except, save
2. unless

   Synonym: مگر (magar)

3. without

   Synonym: بدون (bedun)

Derived terms

• والا (va-ellâ, “otherwise, or else”)

 

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ʔa.ˈlɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lɑ́ː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lɑ́ː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lɑ́ː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lɔ́ː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔæ.lɒ́ː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lɔ́]

Readings
Classical reading?	alā
Dari reading?	alā
Iranian reading?	alâ
Tajik reading?	alo

Interjection

الا • (alâ)

1. is [he/she/it] not?
2. behold
3. beware

Further reading

• Bulkin, Carleton (2012) “الا”, in Dari-English/English-Dari practical dictionary, 2nd edition, New York: Hippocrene Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 32
• Dehkhoda, Ali-Akbar (1931–) “الا”, in Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute, editors, Dehkhoda Dictionary (in Persian), Tehran: University of Tehran Press
• Hayyim, Sulayman (1934) “الا”, in New Persian–English dictionary, Teheran: Librairie-imprimerie Béroukhim
• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1892) “الا”, in A Comprehensive Persian–English dictionary, London: Routledge & K. Paul