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Archaic spelling of "jail". Read it with a soft g and a long a and it makes a little more sense. There's also the derivative "gaoler".

(American here, but that's one I've come across before.)

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My goodness, I never would have guessed. Thank you for sharing.

Also, if gaol can have a soft g, then so can gif? :-)

Lots of soft Gs around, like gentleman… though Gif isn't one of them!! :)

Yes, but like a lot of minor regional spelling or pronunciation differences, some people say it with a hard g. It may be the improper pronunciation when compared to the origin, but that’s how words work, grating as it may be to our enlightened sensibilities.

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