Baal , properly Baʿal (; ; , ), was a title and honorific meaning "lord" in the Northwest Semitic languages spoken in the Levant during antiquity. From its use among people, it came to be applied to gods. Scholars previously associated the theonym with solar cults and with a variety of unrelated patron deities, but inscriptions have shown that the name Baʿal was particularly associated with the storm and fertility god Hadad and his local manifestations. The Hebrew Scriptures, compiled and curated over a span of centuries, include early use of the term in reference to their God Yahweh, generic use in reference to various Levantine deities, and finally pointed application towards Hadad, who was decried as a false god. This use was taken over into Christianity and Islam, sometimes under the opprobrious form Beelzebub.

The British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) is an academic society for professional applied linguists, language teachers and other interested parties, based in the United Kingdom. It organises regular meetings of its 800-plus members at various venues in the UK, publishes conference proceedings, issues a regular newsletter and awards student scholarships. Its current Chair is Susan Hunston, Professor of English language at the University of Birmingham.