Etymology

The English n. is always derived from ON, as the only close comparanda are (rare, poetic) OIcel gjǫlnar 'gills' < PGmc *gelunō and Dan gjælle, Sw gäl, gel < PGmc *geliz. ME <i> is accounted for by Noreen by a root variant gilja- (1897: 35-66), but this is speculative. The ulterior etymology of the Scandinavian words is obscure; gjǫlnir (masc.) also occurs in OIcel as a fish heiti in a þula. The phonetic grounds for ON derivation remain, however, as an OE reflex of either a PGmc root *gel- or *gil- result in /j/ by palatalization.

PGmc Ancestor

*gel-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

gjǫlnar 'gills'
(ONP gjǫln (sb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Dan gjælle, Sw gäl, gel

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

absence of palatalization of */ɡ/

Summary category

A1c

Attestation

First attested in 14c. glosses (a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw. (Cmb Gg.1.1)), many early occurrences in texts are from the N/EM.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Pat 269

Bibliography

MED gil(e (n.1) , OED gill (n.1) , HTOED , Bj. 153, 191, Orel ʒelunō