jēls

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *jel-, from Proto-Indo-European *yel- (“not ready, not processed”). Cognates include Lithuanian dialectal jė̃las (“unsalted, not sour, sweet, fresh”) (a possible borrowing from Latvian).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Adjective

jēls (definite jēlais, comparative jēlāks, superlative visjēlākais, adverb jēli)

1. raw (not cooked, roasted, baked, fried, or affected by any food preparation process)

   jēla gaļa ― raw meat

   jēlas olas ― raw eggs

   jēlu zivju smaka man bija pretīga ― the smell of raw fish was disgusting to me

   skaties, te ir arī olas... tikai nevar zināt, vārītas vai jēlas ― look, there are also eggs... but you can't tell if they are cooked or raw

2. raw, sore (bruised or irritated from abrasion or constant rubbing, pressure) (of skin)

   mugura un sāni slimniekam no ilgas gulēšanas bija jēli ― the back and the sides of the patient were raw from lying too long

   Voldis pamanīja, ka labās rokas pirkstu locītavas cīņā nobrāztas jēlas... pirksti bija aplipuši asinīm ― Voldis noticed that (his) right hand finger joints were bruised raw in the fight... (his) fingers were sticky with blood

3. humid, wet, miry, boggy, putrid (of land, soil)

   es gāju steidzīgi, ūdens šļakstēja zem manām kajām, kaut kur kurpes iegrima jēlos dubļos ― I went hurriedly, the water made noises under my feet, somewhere (my) shoes sank into raw mud

   viņš dzina automašīnu pa jēliem, izmirkušiem ceļiem ― he drove the car on miry, wet roads

   degunā iesitās sasmakušā ūdens smirdoņa, bet rokām apvijās jēlas un sapuvušas ūdenszāles ― the stale water stink hit (his) nose, and (his) hands were entangled in raw, rotten algae

4. (of words, expressions) raw, crude, rude, offensive, impolite

   jēli vārdi ― raw, crude words

   lietot jēlu izteicienu ― to use a rude, impolite expression

   pārcēlājs lietoja tik jēlu valodu, ka ratos sēdētājas sievas sarka ― the ferryman used such raw language that the women sitting in the chariot blushed

   romānists Alksnis nu varēja sākt stāstīt savas pikantās anekdotes... cigāru mutē, viņš atlaidās klubkrēslā un tīksminājās ar visjēlākām asprātībām ― the novelist Alksnis could begin telling his spicy anecdotes... with a cigar in his mouth, he sat on the armchair and delighted himself with the rawest, crudest witticisms

5. (colloquial) weak, feeble, clumsy

   tam jēli pirksti; viss krīt no rokām ārā ― he has raw (= weak, clumsy) fingers: everything falls off (his) hands

   tu gan esi jēls: līdz iziet ārā, tūliņ saaukstējas ― you are really raw (= weak, feeble): when you go out, you immediately catch a cold

Declension

Synonyms

• (of "humid"): slapjš
• (of "crude, impolite"): neķītrs, rupjš

References