Allegra (greeting)

Allegra (more rarely and especially in the Upper Engadin the adverbial form : "allegramaing!") Is a Rhaeto-Romanic greeting that is spoken between early morning and late afternoon. It is used where people of equal social status meet.

The specific is the linguistic content. The greeting can be translated as "Rejoice (you)!". So it is - similar to the modern Greek χαίρετε!  - a performative linguistic act that gives joy to the person greeted and puts the desired into effect in the act of speaking.

The greeting is only used in the Engadin and Münstertal in the Ladin idioms Vallader , Puter and Jauer .

"Allegra!" Is the remaining short formula of the original "Cha Dieu ans allegra!" (German: may God please us!).

Web links

• Items. Neue Zürcher Zeitung , March 29, 2008