29 Comments
In the Yorkshire of my youth, "laik" or "lake" was the regular word for play. My grandmother would say crossly "Tha's been laikin' i't dubbs" - "You have been playing in the puddles." and "'E's laikin' - He is out of work"
Interesting, thanks! I would like to add as well that "lek" is also in use in English to signify the dance male birds perform to attract mates. This is one of few direct loanwords from modern Swedish.
from Dictionary Reference
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laik?s=t
laik
laik /leɪk/ verb (Northern English, dialect) 1. when intr, often foll by about. to play (a game, etc) 2. (intransitive) to be on holiday, esp to take a day off work 3. (intransitive) to be unemployed Word Origin C14: leiken, from Old Norse leika; related to Old English lacan to manoeuvre; compare lark
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lark
Lark play
"spree, frolic," 1811, possibly shortening of skylark (1809), sailors' slang "play rough in the rigging of a ship" (larks were proverbial for high-flying), or from English dialectal lake/laik "to play" (c.1300, from Old Norse leika "to play," from PIE *leig- "to leap") with intrusive -r- common in southern British dialect.
The verb lake, considered characteristic of Northern English vocabulary, is the opposite of work but lacks the other meanings of play. As a verb, from 1813. Related: Larked ; larking.
looks like a very solid connection to modern Swedish leker
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Yes that was my first thought too, as a child of Yorkshire, we used to say 'laikin about' and that might help me remember this one!
I think the current version (or at least what we used to use as children) is actually closer to 'leker' as we said 'lekking'
893
spela is used for playing instruments and all kinds of games that have rules. Leka is used for free games, like the pretend games that children play.
No, this sentence needs to be translated, not rephrased. Hon har kul translates to "she's having fun".
i wanted to say " she is delicious" because in german " Lecker" means delicious then i thought that DUO does not favour flirting !
I think I will remember the word playing from the (LA) Lakers - who plays basketball :)
- 893
Did you see my comment above about the difference between leker and spelar? You always use the verb spelar for basketball.
laker to lark about, to play - not sure if "lark" is used where you live/have lived attis765, it is not commonly heard here in Oz these days, though it might be the basis of the word "larrakin" = street hoodlum, mischievious youth, which is still commonly understood here
Spelar related to the English word "spiel" which derives from the Germanic word to play. Spiel - noun 1 a usually high-flown talk or speech, especially for the purpose of luring people to a movie, a sale, etc.; pitch. verb (used without object) 2. to speak extravagantly.
it might have the idea of play with words, exaggerate, a bit like playing with a ball. Not sure this will help you to remember but I hope it is useful.
Spel is also the second element in "gospel" = a good message = Greek ευαγγελιον, Latinized to evangelium.
I just saw it now, thanks for the clarification. Can you tell us an example of leker?
- 893
Barnen leker tjuv och polis - 'The children play thief and police' – not that kids do that anymore, but back in the old days when kids used to play games like that, the verb was leker because it's a pretend game without real rules.
Katten leker 'The cat is playing' – animals typically leker unless maybe if you can make your cat play games on your iPad. :)
hey! how do we say "with" ? if for example i wanted to say : She plays with her dog thanks in advance
Med - "Hon leker med sin hund". Another example: "Hon dricker te med socker" - She drinks tea with sugar.
i almost translated that with SHE IS DELICIOUS ! because of German Lecker which does means delicious. but then i thought, well DUO doesn't give us sentences like that to translate !
Arnauti has already explained in further detail, but leker = playing a game without any specific rules, like playing pretend; spelar = playing a game with rules like a sport, playing an instrument, or playing a role.
