Desperate request for those of you who speak English

[Jazzmoose]

I'm currently readint The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill, and while most English English (as oppossed to the American version, you know?) I can figure out, one word here has me stumped. And apparently every online dictionary, both of our dictionaries, and who knows what else.

What the heck is "appell"????

(Sentence from book: The next shifts started as soon as appell was over.)

[brownie]

Moose, taking note of the book you are reading, Appell would translate as 'roll call'. It's a french word which refers to the roll call which was one of the dreary start of daily routine at WWII prisoners camps (also at concentration camps where the appels was turned into daily ordeals).

No idea why the french word 'appel' was used instead of the german word for it.

[Jazzmoose]

Ah. That makes sense. Thanks!!

[tjobbe]

...

No idea why the french word 'appel' was used instead of the german word for it.

because the word Appell is used exactly that way in german language as well. I guess its a heritage from Napoleon and french occupation back than. There are some area's in the "Rheinland" that still uses geman pronounced french wordings.

[king ubu]

That word is in use in the glorious swiss army still today... "Morgenappell", for instance: 7 in the morning, everybody standing outside in some kind of formation, listening to some stoopid guy telling what the days programme will be...

[king ubu]

There's another meaning (derived, I assume, from the military one), meaning "appeal" or "plea" (that's the translations on dict.leo.org give, if you enter the german word "Appell").

[Claude]

The german Wikipedia gives the most exhaustive list of meanings of the word:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appell

[Jazzmoose]

There's another meaning (derived, I assume, from the military one), meaning "appeal" or "plea" (that's the translations on dict.leo.org give, if you enter the german word "Appell").

That's the closest I could find, through 'appellation' (until I came here, the source of all knowledge!), and it just made no sense in context.

[couw]

...

No idea why the french word 'appel' was used instead of the german word for it.

because the word Appell is used exactly that way in german language as well. I guess its a heritage from Napoleon and french occupation back than. There are some area's in the "Rheinland" that still uses geman pronounced french wordings.

actually, it IS the German word as the french is spelled with only one L at the end. In Dutch it means apple, unless you put an accent-grave on the e, then it's roll call or appeal.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Ich APPELLIERE an Euch alle: Lasst uns ueber eine Loesung fuer Jims Problem mit seiner kleinen Tochter nachdenken, die ihn zur Weissglut treibt, und nicht ueber ein altbackenes Wort, dass mich zur Weissglut treibt.

[brownie]

...

No idea why the french word 'appel' was used instead of the german word for it.

because the word Appell is used exactly that way in german language as well. I guess its a heritage from Napoleon and french occupation back than. There are some area's in the "Rheinland" that still uses geman pronounced french wordings.

actually, it IS the German word as the french is spelled with only one L at the end. In Dutch it means apple, unless you put an accent-grave on the e, then it's roll call or appeal.

an apfel a day keeps the doctor away

[couw]

Ich APPELLIERE an Euch alle: Lasst uns ueber eine Loesung fuer Jims Problem mit seiner kleinen Tochter nachdenken, die ihn zur Weissglut treibt, und nicht ueber ein altbackenes Wort, dass mich zur Weissglut treibt.

er hätte die Kleine mit 8 Monaten (oder so) auf den Topf setzen sollen, nicht erst nach 2 Jahren. Das ist, was mich zu Weissbier treibt. Prost!

[couw]

...

No idea why the french word 'appel' was used instead of the german word for it.

because the word Appell is used exactly that way in german language as well. I guess its a heritage from Napoleon and french occupation back than. There are some area's in the "Rheinland" that still uses geman pronounced french wordings.

actually, it IS the German word as the french is spelled with only one L at the end. In Dutch it means apple, unless you put an accent-grave on the e, then it's roll call or appeal.

an apfel a day keeps the doctor away

almost.

Dutch = Crazy

[Jazzmoose]

I think I'm sorry I asked...

[chris olivarez]

I think I'm sorry I asked...

You must now tunnel underneath this thread and head quickly into the nearby woods. Hopefully your papers are in order.

[Kalo]

I tought "Appell" was what you make "Cidrer" from.