Etymology

Borrowing from French Gaule ‎(“Gaul”), from Middle French Gaule ‎(“Gaul”), from Old French Gaule, Waulle ‎(“Gaul”), a word used as a translation of Latin Gallia ‎(“Gaul”), from Frankish *Walhaland ‎(“Gaul, Land of the Romans, foreigners”), from *Walha ‎(“foreigners, Romans, Celts”), from Proto-Germanic *walhaz ‎(“an outlander, foreigner, Celt”), probably of Celtic origin, from the same source as Latin Volcae ‎(“name of a Celtic tribe in South Germany, which later emmigrated to Gaul”). Akin to Old High German Walh, Walah ‎(“a Celt, Roman, Gaul”), Old English Wealh, Walh ‎(“a non-Germanic foreigner, Celt/Briton/Welshman”), Old Norse Valir ‎(“Gauls, Frenchmen”). More at Wales/Welsh, Cornwall, Walloon, and Vlach/Wallachia.

Despite their similar appearance, Latin Gallia is probably not the origin of French Gaule; the similarity is purely coincidental. According to regular sound changes in the development of Old French, Latin g before a becomes j (compare gamba, whence jambe), and the i of terminal -ia transpositions to the preceding syllable (compare gloire from gloria). Thus, the regular outcome of Latin Gallia is Jaille, a component still seen in several French placenames (e.g. La Jaille-Yvon, Saint-Mars-la-Jaille, etc).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɔːl/
• Homophone: gall