ulna / ell
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ulna
In anatomy, one of the two bones of the forearm, located on the side of the little finger. The other bone is the radius.
Bei dem Sturz vom Fahrrad hat er sich die Elle gebrochen.
He broke his ulna when he fell off his bicycle.
The word 'Elle' (ulna) is part of the word 'Ellenbogen' (elbow). If you think of the elbow, it helps you remember the meaning of the bone in the forearm.
Ich habe mich am Tisch gestoßen und jetzt tut mein Ellenbogen weh.
I bumped myself on the table, and now my elbow hurts.
You can easily recognize the meaning from context. If people are talking about the body, an accident, or doctors, the bone is meant. If it is about history, fabric, or old measurements, the unit of length is meant.
Der Arzt auf dem Röntgenbild die gebrochene Elle.
The doctor saw the broken ulna on the X-ray.
In medical contexts, the pair of bones 'Elle und Speiche' (ulna and radius) is often mentioned together. A typical injury is 'sich die Elle brechen' (to break one's ulna).
Bei dem Sturz hat er sich sowohl Elle als auch Speiche gebrochen.
In the fall, he broke both his ulna and his radius.
When 'Elle' (ell) is used as a unit of length, it often appears with verbs like 'messen' (to measure), 'kaufen' (to buy), or 'verkaufen' (to sell) and the preposition 'nach' (by/according to).
Der Händler verkaufte das Tuch nach der Elle.
The merchant sold the cloth by the ell.
foot
'der Fuß' and 'die Elle' can be confusing because both are body-related terms and both also refer to old units of length. As a body part, the foot is at the bottom of the leg; you stand and walk on it. 'die Elle', by contrast, is a bone in the forearm. As a unit of measurement, a foot is much shorter and is known today mainly from the Anglo-American measurement system. An 'Elle' (ell) is an old unit of measurement that is roughly based on the forearm and varied in length depending on the region. So you should pay close attention to the context: body part or unit of length.
Im Museum erklärt der Führer, dass die Elle früher als Längenmaß benutzt wurde.
At the museum, the guide explains that the ell used to be used as a unit of length.
Nach dem Training tut mir der rechte Fuß weh.
After training, my right foot hurts.