Spigille

English translation: Spigille

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	Spigille
English translation:	Spigille
Entered by:	Derek Gill Franßen

16:58 Aug 10, 2004

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

German term or phrase: Spigille

Childhood in Germany (late fifties)

Jeden Mittwoch kommt meine Tante Gisela zum Kaffeeklatsch. Meine Mutter sagt immer **Spigille** zu ihr, weil sie so spindeldürr und nervös und zappelig ist.

Never heard of a Spigille. Fortunately, the text describes what it is: a skinny and hyper person. Is there an English word for it that would lend itself to be used as a nickname?

TIA!!

Fantutti (X) KudoZ activity Questions: 145 (none open) Answers: 963
Local time: 03:24

Spigille

Explanation:
This is just her nickname (Kosename), there is no translation for this. I have once heard of "Spargeltarzan" for skinny persons, but "Spigille"...
;-)

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Note added at 8 mins (2004-08-10 17:06:52 GMT)
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I\'ve also heard of \"Zapplesuse\" bzw. \"Zappelphillip\"...

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Note added at 14 mins (2004-08-10 17:12:27 GMT)
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In my Hochdeutsch-Plattdeutsches Wörterbuch von Günter & Johanna Harte the word \"spillerig\" is given under \"dünn\"; the word \"spillbeent\" under \"dünnbeinig\".

An English version of this could be \"skin and bones\", \"birdlegs\", \"spindlelegs\" or \"spindelshanks\".

Selected response from:

Derek Gill Franßen
Germany
Local time: 12:24

Grading comment

Thank you so much Derek and all the others. Special thanks to Cilian for the final clarification. You guys were 10 steps ahead of me!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +4

Spigille

Derek Gill Franßen

3 +2

Twiggy

Kim Metzger

2 +1

Fragill

Cilian O'Tuama

Fidjill

Heidi Stone-Schaller

Answers

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

Twiggy

Explanation:
A possibility.

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 04:24
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 213

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

Spigille

Derek Gill Franßen
Germany
Local time: 12:24
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Grading comment

Thank you so much Derek and all the others. Special thanks to Cilian for the final clarification. You guys were 10 steps ahead of me!

24 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Fragill

Explanation:
fragile + Jill = Fragill

braincellstorming

Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 12:24
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 31

1 hr confidence:

Fidjill

Explanation:
as in fidgety and Jill
to go with the second characteristic (hyper)
"jumpy Jill"...

Heidi Stone-Schaller
Local time: 12:24
Native speaker of:

English,

German
PRO pts in category: 3

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