Spiv - Origins Of The Word ? - Britmovie

billy bentley · 27-04-2008, 02:50 PM

i've recently read elsewhere that the word Spiv originates from the trem "Surplus Products In Vehicle", could this be true ? Any opinions or comments ?

Windthrop · 27-04-2008, 02:56 PM

I didn't know that but this article gives some info on the Spiv

Spiv - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CaptainWaggett · 27-04-2008, 02:56 PM

From the OED

Quote:

Origin obscure: perh. from SPIFF v.2, SPIFFY adj.
Cf. also the nickname of Henry ‘Spiv’ Bagster, London newspaper seller and petty criminal (b. 1883), although the reason for the nickname is uncertain. Bagster's court appearances for loitering, theft, assault, and selling counterfeit goods are reported in the national newspapers between 1903 and 1906. The nickname is recorded from 1904.]

It seems to be one of the words the Balderdash and Piffle people were trying to track down

billy bentley · 27-04-2008, 09:15 PM

Arthur English would appear to be the first of the theatrical spivs, does anyone know if he wrote/ghosted a memoir ? A biography would seem a long shot.

CaptainWaggett · 27-04-2008, 09:19 PM

Through the Mill and Beyond. Lots of cheap copies on Amazon

billy bentley · 27-04-2008, 09:24 PM

Cheers Cap'n

CaptainWaggett · 27-04-2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billy bentley

Cheers Cap'n

You might wish to check out this review before you get too excited!

billy bentley · 28-04-2008, 12:13 AM

I may upset the apple cart here, but being Arthur English my expectations are I'd like to think realistic. Hvaing said that I was thinking that perhaps Arthur had heard more than a few theories on the origins of the word spiv and might even rememeber to mention it.

Rob Compton · 28-04-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainWaggett

You might wish to check out this review before you get too excited!

Thanks Captain - completely irrelevant to this thread, but I must just quote something that caught my eye in that link from a little lower down the page, from Eric and Ernie....

"When the boys were on Parkinson once, the wrinkled-before-his-time Yorkshireman asked them what they would have been if they weren't comedians. Without missing a beat, Eric replied, 'Mike & Bernie Winters'."

rgds
Rob

27-04-2008, 02:50 PM	#1
billy bentley Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 312 Country: iTrader: (0)	Spiv - Origins Of The Word ? i've recently read elsewhere that the word Spiv originates from the trem "Surplus Products In Vehicle", could this be true ? Any opinions or comments ?

27-04-2008, 02:56 PM	#2
Windthrop Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: North Yorks Posts: 4,236 Country: iTrader: (0)	I didn't know that but this article gives some info on the Spiv Spiv - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia __________________ That's the joke that killed the Music Hall

27-04-2008, 09:15 PM	#4
billy bentley Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 312 Country: iTrader: (0)	Arthur English Arthur English would appear to be the first of the theatrical spivs, does anyone know if he wrote/ghosted a memoir ? A biography would seem a long shot.

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27-04-2008, 09:19 PM	#5
CaptainWaggett Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: London Posts: 1,883 Country: iTrader: (0)	Through the Mill and Beyond. Lots of cheap copies on Amazon

27-04-2008, 09:24 PM	#6
billy bentley Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 312 Country: iTrader: (0)	Cheers Cap'n

28-04-2008, 12:13 AM	#8
billy bentley Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 312 Country: iTrader: (0)	I may upset the apple cart here, but being Arthur English my expectations are I'd like to think realistic. Hvaing said that I was thinking that perhaps Arthur had heard more than a few theories on the origins of the word spiv and might even rememeber to mention it.