gjsys said:
While all the above is true in a dictionary sense, the word "egal" is not quite used in this context. "Egal" is generally used in a phrase "Ist mir egal" (german) which roughly translates into "I don't mind" or "I don't care".
The English word "Same" would translate in a dictionary sense to "gleich" or "exakt gleich".... as always, there is this annoying difference in between terms that are just in a dictionary and terms/words that are actually used daily.
Btw, i'm originally Austrian, making German my native language.
Mike
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equal at etymonline.com:
c.1391, from L. æqualis "uniform, identical, equal," from æquus "level, even, just," of unknown origin. Parallel formation egal (from O.Fr. egal) was in use 1380-1600s. Equalitarian in reference to the doctrine that all mankind are equal is attested from 1799; equalizer "pistol" is U.S. slang, c.1900.
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from dictionary at leo.org:
(french) (german)
égal, égale adj. egal i
égal à adj. [math.] gleich i
égal, égale adj. ebenbürtig i
égal, égale adj. gleich i
égal, égale adj. gleichgeartet i
égal, égale adj. gleichgestellt i
égal, égale adj. gleichmäßig
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French revolution's motto:
en: Liberty, Equal-ity, Fraternity
fr: Liberté, Egal-ité, Fraternité
de: Freiheit, Gleich-heit, Brüderlichkeit
it: Libertà, uguagl-ianza, fraternità.
es: Libertad, igual-dad, fraternidad
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Etymologically the meaning is the same (equal, same), gleich is gothic, egal is latin.
@funkydog: thanks
@mike: egal is much better than gleich. You know the word Egalität, but you cannot find word in orther languanges with Gleich. I speak fluent german, but my example was about french, i have much more problems to explain it in english, if you want a german explanation pm me.
