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[ Give Ear ]
Someone questioned the New Yorkedness of the King concerning his spelling of the term "spiel" -- while I may have my problems with spelling, in this case the choice to spell the term "shpiel" was made deliberately.
spiel: preferred pronunciation: (OED, so who knows?): ƒpi:l -- SH pee 'l;
slang, (orig. US -- German spielen play, gamble). 1. Talk, a story, a glib speech, esp one intended to persuade or impress; a salesperson's patter. 2. A swindle, a dishonest enterprise.
OK! You were warned!
Websters:
. . . > OHG (Old High German): spillön to hop, dance, play; akin to OE spillan to revel, OFris: spilla to play, spil, spel play; MD, spelen to play, spel play, game, OHG spil play] 1. to play music < "with three or four you just spiel but with the whole band you got to work." -- Benny Goodman > 2. to talk in a voluble often extravagant manner; to utter, express, or describe in a voluble often extravagant manner
2. a voluble line of often extravagant talk usu intended to persuade: pitch.
> or < spell?
Websters:
Spell: [ME: speech, talk, tale, fr. OE; akin to OHG spel tale, talk, ON (Norse) spjall, Gothic spill tale, tal, Greek apelle (anyone hear 'My Name is'?) boast, threat, Latvian pal'as rebuke, abuse] 1a. story tale; b. a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power: charm, incantation--OED
Cf: gospel 1. Talk, narration speech; a story, a narrative, a tale
2. A verse or form of words, sometimes accompanied by actions, supposedly possessing magical powers and able to bring about a desired end; a charm, an incantation.
OED:
Spell: 1a. Discourse, narration, speech, occas. idle talk, fable; (irrelevant but interesting 1b. to set spell on end = to begin to speak); 2a. A discourse or sermon; a narrative or tale; also (OE), a subject of discourse; 3a. A set of words, a formula or verse supposed to possess occult or magical powers; a charm or incantation; a means of accomplishing enchantment or exorcism; 3b. An occult or mysterious power or influence; a fascinating or enthralling charm
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Friday, March 05, 2004 3:46 AM
