lëshoj

Albanian

Etymology

Linguists disagree on the derivation of the word; there are several proposals.

• Might be from lë (“to let (behind); leave”) + sh- (de, out, off, ex) +‎ -oj (-1st pers./present/active suffix) itself; respectively Aorist lashë (let/left behind) +‎ -oj (-1st p./pres./act. suffix). Cf. Jussive particle Albanian le (“let”) → from Proto-Albanian *laide. Identical to Baltic particles Latvian lai (“let”), Lithuanian laĩ (“id”), Old Prussian -lai (“id”).
• Aorist (and adjective) lashë (“I left (behind); leave”), lashtë (“old, elderly; lit. 'left behind'”) → from Proto-Albanian *lauša. Related to Gothic 𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍃 (laus, “loosen, set free, empty”), further realted to Ancient Greek λύω (lúō, “to loose, release”) (which is also related to Albanian lirë (“free, independent”)).
• Camarda connets lëshoj to Greek λίσσομαι (líssomai, “to beg, pray”).
• As for Meyer (Orel agreed with Meyer); he considered lëshoj as a loan from Latin lassāre (“to render faint, tire”), while Orel added a *to let meaning to Latin lassāre.
• Meyer-Lübke and Miklosich favoured lëshoj as a borrowing from Italian lasciare (“to let”).

Furthermore, Standard/Tosk lëshoj is found as nshoj (ntshoj, ndshoj) among Gheg subdialects - favouring prefix nd- (“de-”) over le, lë (“let, leave, etc.”). The Gheg equivalent was neither considered, nor analyzed by the above mentioned linguists.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Verb

lëshój (aorist lëshóva, participle lëshúar)

1. (active voice, transitive) to let out/off/go/down; to drop

   I lëshoj flokët. ― I let my hair down.

2. (active voice, transitive) to leave (something/someone) behind

   I break up (with someone), I split/separate (relationship)

   Synonyms: ndahem, prishem

   Unë e lëshoj gruan për ty. ― I leave my wife for you.

   Ajo e lëshoi burrin. ― She left her husband.

3. (active voice, transitive) to release, unleash; free, set free, liberate; to remove

   Synonyms: lë, lehtësoj, liroj, çliroj, nxjerr

4. (active voice, transitive) to give up/back, quit

   Synonym: dorëzoj

5. (active voice, transitive) to start, turn on, set in motion (TV, radio, machine, engine, apparatus, etc.)
6. (active voice, transitive, + short pronoun) to let (me, it, etc.) go/be; to redeem or deliver (me, it, etc.) from (illness, pain, teeth, fever, etc.)

   Synonym: lë

7. (active voice, transitive, figurative, mainly 3rd person) to pulls, draw out; to spread (around); to create

   Synonyms: nxjerr, krijon

8. (active voice, transitive, figurative, mainly 3rd person) to shed (tears), to weep, to water (when associated with liquids)

   Synonyms: loton, lotoj, qaj, ujtis, vadit, vadis, ujit, ujis

   Më lëshojnë sytë lot. ― My eyes shed tears.

9. (active voice, transitive, figurative, mainly 3rd person) to discharge, emit, launch (sound, smell, odor, smoke, fire, etc.)

   Synonyms: emetoj, pëlcas, rrezatoj, nxjerr, fut, hedh, shkarkoj, vërvit

10. (active voice, transitive, figurative, mainly 3rd person) to blossom, to open up, to germinate, to spread (flowers, trees, plants, roots)

    Synonyms: çel, hap, përhap

11. (active voice, transitive, figurative) to aim, point; to throwat/towards; to fire at (words, objects or arms thrown or aimed at something/someone)
12. (active voice, transitive, figuratuve, third person, + short pronouns) to not work; to be impotent, unable to (see/walk/hear, etc.); to lose

    Associated with amputated or paralyzed body parts; abnormality/impairment in the function of specified bodily organ/system. Lost memory, ability, strength, power

13. (active voice, intransitive, colloquial, third person) to release (bees)

    Synonym: luzmon

14. (active voice, intransitive) to grant, give, hand out (concession, licence, permission, approval)

Inflection

Derived terms

• lëshohem (passive)
• lëshim m (gerund)
• lëshuar (participle)
  • sylëshuar
• lëshues m, lëshuese f
  • felëshues m, felëshuese f
  • ujëlëshues m

See also

• le (“let”) (jussive particle)
• lë (“to let (behind); leave”) (active)
• lihem (passive)
• lënë (lërë)
• leje f
• lejim m
• lirë

References