Reël

Reël is a term used in Afrikaans to describe both a rule or guideline and a line of poetry. In everyday speech, it can refer to a prescribed principle or procedure to be followed, such as a safety or etiquette rule. In literature, a reël denotes a single line of a poem or verse, and the word can be used to discuss the structure and rhythm of a poetic work. The meaning can shift with context, so it may indicate either a guideline or a unit of verse.

Etymology and cognates: the Afrikaans sense of reël for rule and for verse line is related to the Dutch word regel and to the French règle, all tracing back to Latin regula, meaning a standard or measure. In Dutch, regel is the common term for rule or line, while reël appears mainly in Afrikaans as the inherited or adapted form.

Uses in language and culture: as a rule, reël is used in schools, workplaces, and everyday talk to describe expected procedures or norms, for example, “Dit is die reël van die spel” (This is the rule of the game). In poetry and song, a reël is a single line, and discussions of scansion or meter may refer to how each reël contributes to the poem’s rhythm. When discussing formats or grids, reëls (the plural form) can denote multiple guidelines or lines of verse, depending on orthographic conventions.

See also: regel, rule, poem line, verse line.

Note: reël is most commonly encountered in Afrikaans, with cognate usage in Dutch contexts and broader Indo-European-derived terms for rule and line.