# Albanian: dalendüse



## ThomasK

A Dutch etymological dictionary suggests that a *swallow* is a _*dalendüse*_ in Albanian, but dictionaries suggest that _*gjëlltit*_(de). No mention of _dalendüse_ when I google or look up in those dictionary. Can anyone help?

BTW: I found another, probably more correct form of the word dałɛndüše, but even when Googling, you find no reference, not even to an Albanian site...


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## L'irlandais

My assimil pocket conversation guide has some 2000 words.  But the closest I can find is *gjeldét* = turkey.
That's not much help really.  Neither of those words get any google hits outside of (dot) nl


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## ThomasK

Indeed, very strange. yet, I suppose there must be some reason for mentioning the above words. I thought the form in correct in Albanian spelling might help, but again: in vain... Yet, thanks!


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## L'irlandais

Some online English Albanian dictionaries give *dallëndyshja* as the bird's name.
While *gëlltit* is the verb to swallow, i.e. to pass food from one's throat to one's stomach

Yet, this online Hungarian dico mixes them up again :
Keresés - Történettudományi Intézet
(I think it is the problem with online resources, they are only as good as their author.  A simple mistake *to swallow* (verb) is not the same as *a swallow (noun). *Perhaps you could email them and ask if they stand by their translation.

  We have lots of Kosovar refugees here in Mulhouse, I can check if the academics are correct after.)


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## ThomasK

Quite right: that is the solution! It opens up a lot of sources of information. Thanks a lot.


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## Red Arrow

Does Albanian still have the letter ü? Wikipedia says it changed to y 200 years ago.

(I don't know anything about this language so this is probably not very helpful)


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## L'irlandais

If Albanians no longer use *ü*, then I think it helps highlight that *dałɛndüše* in the OP is probably of Dutch origin.


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## Red Arrow

Dutch doesn't use ü as a separate letter like German, Hungarian and Estonian, but it is possible.

And Wikipedia says ë is pronounced [ə], not [ɛ].


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## L'irlandais

Hi again,
In any case both words are mentioned on this *Dutch* website, where/when the error occurred, I know not.



> P.A.F. van Veen en N. van der Sĳs (1997), Van Dale Etymologisch woordenboek
> zwaluw* [zangvogel] {swaluwe, swalewe, swelve 1201-1250} oudsaksisch swala, oudhoogduits swalawa, oudengelsswealwe, oudnoors svala; denkbaar is verband met grieks alkuōn [ijsvogel] ofwel met russisch solovej [nachtegaal], *dan wel met albaans dalendüse [zwaluw]*.
> 
> ...
> 
> C.B. van Haeringen (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, Supplement
> zwaluw. Zeer onzeker is de verbinding met russ. solovéj, po. słowik ‘nachtegaal’ (de combinatie met gr. halkuṓn is hiermee niet te verenigen). *Daarentegen schijnt alb. dałɛndüše ‘zwaluw’* terecht door M.E.Schmidt KZ. 50, 236 vlg. gecombineerd te zijn (dałɛn- = germ. *swalwôn-; of -nd- formantisch met Vasmer t.a.p. 247 vlg.?).
> Vla. zwalm is geen andere formatie, maar heeft m < w (vgl. Kil. swaelem).


*My emboldening.


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## AgonSK

*"Dallendyshe"* (indefinite) / "*Dallendyshja"* (definite) is the bird's name.

Not sure about its usage, but I think it's mostly used in Gegë.

"*Gëlltit*" is the verb that means "to swallow". It's mostly used in Toskë and you rarely here it in Gegë.

There is no "*ü*" letter in Albanian. The "*ü*" sound (like the German "*ü*") is expressed by the letter "*y*".


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