spieler: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Slang
Quick answer
What does “spieler” mean?
A person who gives a long, elaborate, and often glib or rehearsed speech or story, typically to persuade or entertain.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who gives a long, elaborate, and often glib or rehearsed speech or story, typically to persuade or entertain.
A person who plays a game, especially a gambler or a player in a competitive sport (from German/Yiddish). Also, a person who manipulates situations or people through talk.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood in both varieties but is more prevalent in American English, likely due to greater historical Yiddish influence. The German-derived 'player' sense is marginally more likely in British historical contexts.
Connotations
Equally pejorative in both varieties when referring to a talker.
Frequency
Rare in formal contexts in both regions. More likely to be encountered in literature, film, or within certain communities.
Grammar
How to Use “spieler” in a Sentence
He was a spieler for the carnival.Don't listen to that spieler; he's just trying to sell you something.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spieler” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He tried to spiel his way out of the parking fine.
American English
- She can spiel for hours about her conspiracy theories.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used pejoratively for a salesperson with an overly rehearsed pitch.
Academic
Very rare, except in linguistic or historical studies of slang.
Everyday
Informal, used to describe someone perceived as talking glibly to persuade.
Technical
Not used in technical registers.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spieler”
- Using it to mean a skilled or positive public speaker. It almost always has a negative connotation of insincerity.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost always negative or pejorative, suggesting the talk is insincere, manipulative, or overly rehearsed.
This is a direct borrowing from German and is very rare in modern general English. It is an archaic or specialised meaning. The primary meaning is always related to speech.
A 'speaker' is neutral. A 'spieler' implies a specific, often annoying or deceptive, style of speaking aimed at persuasion or manipulation.
Yes. 'To spiel' means to talk at length in a glib, rapid manner. A 'spieler' is someone who does this.
A person who gives a long, elaborate, and often glib or rehearsed speech or story, typically to persuade or entertain.
Spieler is usually informal, slang in register.
Spieler: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃpiːlə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃpiːlər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He gave me his whole spiel.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a car SALESman giving a long, rehearsed SPEECH. A 'spieler' SELLS with his SPEECH.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSUASION IS A PERFORMANCE / TALK IS A GAME (from the 'player' meaning).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'spieler' in its most common English usage?