galla, verb intransitive

/ˈxala/
Forms:
Also gala, gallah.
Origin:
Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZuluShow more Afrikaans, adaptation of isiXhosa rhala crave, long for, desire keenly; compare also isiZulu hala ‘to have a ravenous appetite, be very keen after’ (Doke & Vilakazi Zulu-Eng. Dict. 1964).
colloquial
Especially in the Eastern Cape: to long (for), desire, crave, drool (over), stare longingly (at). Also in the phrase to galla for (something).
1970 B. Hansen Informant, Durban, KwaZulu-NatalI was galaing for that ice cream.
1971 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)I’ll eat my pork tonight and everyone else will sit and gala.
1973 P. Higgins Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)We are going to go and galla at the shop windows.
1989 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)It’s unfair of me to eat the chocolate if you sit there and gallah for a piece.
1991 K. Sullivan Informant, Cape Town, Western CapeI am galaing for the kop and pootjie potjie that’s on the go.
1991 I.E.G. Collett Informant, Pilgrim’s RestGalla-galla. Said usually about food, by someone who has something others might envy or crave.
Especially in the Eastern Cape: to long (for), desire, crave, drool (over), stare longingly (at). Also in the phrase to galla for (something).
Derivatives:
Hence galla  noun, a craving.
1987 D. Randall Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)I feel bad about eating these in front of George but we all have our little gallas, don’t we?
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Derivatives

galla, n.
galjoen, nounn.gallamsiekte, nounn.
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