Talk:Shyster/Archives/2012

Spelling
Who says that "shyster" is the correct spelling?? If it's derived from "scheisse", then you'd think it would be spelt "scheister". M.Nelson (talk) 08:42, 29 September 2008 (UTC)


 * What you must remember is that this is a slang term that came about as a result of a misheard pronunciation. The first attributed usage of the word 'shyster' comes from The Mediterranean, a newspaper than ran for a couple of years in the mid-1800s in New York, I believe it was. The spelling was the work of Mike Walsh, the editor. There is a big long story about how it all came to be, but basically, it is believed that Walsh misheard a man with a German accent in his pronunciation, and it stuck. Goofyman (talk) 16:44, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

Should this be moved for deletion?
It's a word definition and therefore seems more appropriate for wiktionary, rather than being encyclopedia material.

--Morganic (talk) 11:07, 29 May 2009 (UTC)


 * I don't usually agree with these, but with this one I think I do. 71.146.29.218 (talk) 06:30, 31 May 2009 (UTC) (Sorry --- that was me. Thmazing (talk) 06:31, 31 May 2009 (UTC))


 * I think it simply needs to be expanded and more history needs to be added. The etymology is given, but the record of its use would be good.  I might get to this eventually.  But for now, my vote is keep and expand.  It's a culturally relevant term. - - Hraefen Talk 17:19, 10 November 2009 (UTC)

Anti-Semitic connotations

 * The quote from Enemy of the State is a start, but does anyone have any cites for this being an anti-Semitic slur? That's the context in which I usually hear it.  If we can establish that, we can add this to the racial slurs category, and that will also help it from reading like a simple dictionary entry. - - Hraefen Talk 17:19, 10 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Jnestorius recently added some information to the etymology section that addresses the supposed anti-Semitic origins of the word shyster. The source specifically says that the word does not have anti-Semitic origins and, as far as I can tell, this is indeed true. But word origins don't tell the whole story and they certainly don't determine the way a word is used centuries after its first appearance in a language.  So, as it is now, the newly added material is worthy of inclusion and it's sourced (thanks for that), but I'm still not convinced that the word doesn't currently have anti-Semitic connotations, at least for some users. I've seen/heard it used as a slur for Jewish lawyers too many times for there to be absolutely no truth to this. I'm just having trouble finding a good cite.  Any help would be appreciated. - - Hraefen Talk 02:51, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
 * What about "Shylock" from the Merchant of Venice. According to this site Merchant is dated 1596. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Pbechard (talk • contribs) 20:08, 13 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Until some more solid support is offered for its being peculiarly an antisemitic reference, I have deleted the unsupported sentence to that effect. 74.96.8.53 (talk) 23:45, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Note on the term "shyster"
The development of the the term "shyster" might be explained in http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-shy1.htm but that's just half of the explanation. There is a word "Paragraphenscheisser" (means 'paragraph shitter') in German language which is there used for disreputable lawyers and judges. So it is obvious from where the term "shyster" might have developed. I hope this note will not be removed by any wiki-shyster deletionmaster...

but based on its spelling
Doesn't it surely refer to a "shy" i.e. a crooked carnival game? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.182.149.81 (talk) 22:43, 10 December 2012 (UTC)