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λαλιά

laliá

G2981 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Speech, spoken utterance, the act or style of speaking; in various contexts, it may refer to the manner or content of oral communication, including conversation, discourse, or talk. It can denote ordinary or informal speech, the spoken word, or the specific way someone speaks—their language, dialect, or mode of expression.

Semantic Range

speech, talk, manner of speaking, way of speaking, conversation, utterance, spoken language, saying

Root / Etymology

From the verb λαλέω (to talk, to speak); a nominal derivative indicating the act or product of speaking. The verbal root is commonly used for speech, especially informal or simple utterance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, λαλιά referred broadly to speech or talk, often without connotations of rhetorical formality. In Koine Greek, including New Testament usage, it generally means speech, saying, or uttered discourse. It can describe the actual content of spoken words, with emphasis on the act or manner of speaking rather than on prose or oratory. In some contexts (e.g., John 8:43), it may indicate not just the language but the specific words or way of speech (potentially implying dialect or idiom). Standard English translations as 'speech,' 'saying,' or 'talk' typically capture the general meaning, but may miss nuances concerning manner or type of speech. Distinct from λόγος, which often implies rational or reasoned discourse, or ῥῆμα, which highlights the individual spoken word. Usage in the LXX is rare, and the term is more common in Hellenistic non-literary Greek (e.g., papyri), especially for normal conversation or vernacular speech, sometimes with a pejorative sense (chatter, trivial talk), though not necessarily so in NT texts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from λαλέω; talk:--saying, speech.

Root Family

λαλιά (lalia) — speech, talk, utterance, manner of speaking

Root λαλ- to talk, to speak, to utter

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2981-02 λαλιὰν lalian N ACC F SG speech spoken utterance spoken utterance 2
G2981-01 λαλιά lalia N NOM F SG speech spoken speech speech 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2981-01 Matthew 26:73 λαλιά lalia N NOM F SG speech spoken speech speech
G2981-02 John 4:42 λαλιὰν lalian N ACC F SG speech spoken utterance spoken utterance
G2981-02 John 8:43 λαλιὰν lalian N ACC F SG speech spoken utterance spoken utterance
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