allewereld, interjection

/ˌalə ˈvɛːrəlt//ˌʌlə ˈvɛːrəlt/
Forms:
Also a le wereld, alla wereld.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, allewêreld, allawêreld from Dutch alla oh + wereld world.
An exclamation of surprise, alarm, wonder, or admiration, equivalent to ‘good heavens’ or ‘goodness gracious’. Cf. allemagtig.
Note:
Often used by writers to suggest Afrikaans dialogue.
1883 O.E.A. Schreiner Story of Afr. Farm 95‘He says he could kill himself quite easily if he wants to...’ ‘A le wereld’, said Trana: and then they went to sleep.
1898 W.C. Scully Vendetta 28Uncle, I am sick, very sick. After I eat my heart goes just like an old churn — and I dream — Alle Wereld, how I dream.
1900 H. Blore Imp. Light Horseman 168‘Allewereld, sieur’ said Quguza admiringly, employing one of the Dutch expletives, ‘if this be your skill then I need not fear.’
1913 A.B. Marchand Dirk, S. African 8 (Swart)But alle wereld! your mountain roads are steep.
1926 P. Smith Beadle (1929) 212Then she roused herself with a gentle ‘al-le-wereld!’ and said: ‘See now, my child!’
1937 C.R. Prance Tante Rebella’s Saga 181Allewereld! There was so much noise altogether that the parents drove up to see what was wrong.
1959 J. Packer High Roof 14Allewereld! What a shambles. That’s the worst storm I’ve met in ten years.
1961 D. Bee Children of Yesterday 230Allewêreld we ran away sometimes! I can see them coming at me in my dreams.
1976 S. Cloete Canary Pie 98Africa was big. Alla-Wereld, only his people knew how big it was.
1989 J. Hobbs Thoughts in Makeshift Mortuary 208Allewêreld, a rebel, is it?
An exclamation of surprise, alarm, wonder, or admiration, equivalent to ‘good heavens’ or ‘goodness gracious’.
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alles van die beste, phrasephr.alliteral, adjectiveadj.
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