# Szperać



## ThomasK

This word seems to mean browsing through things in Polish. Could anyone enlighten me on the origin of the word?


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## Ben Jamin

From old High German spieren or spüren, to search.


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## ThomasK

Ha, I see, thanks !


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## Ben Jamin

ThomasK said:


> Ha, I see, thanks !



Probably related to Scandinavian "spore/spora", to trace back.


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## ThomasK

... and Dutch 'sporen'? But I suppose the main influence came from German, or did it not?


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## warudemaru

ThomasK said:


> This word seems to mean browsing through things in Polish. Could anyone enlighten me on the origin of the word?


the polish meaning is slightly different, browse is neutral and formal, while "szperać" is in most cases negative, something unwanted and definetely colloquial


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## Ben Jamin

warudemaru said:


> while "szperać" is in most cases negative, something unwanted and definetely colloquial


Where did you get this from? Szperać is actually colloquial, but negative? Don't you confuse it with another word? The word is not much used nowadays, so maybe many people have quite a diffuse idea of it's meaning.


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## R.O

Well, it stands to reason that people might associate the word _szperać _pejoratively. It's very often used in situations where one person is going through someone else's stuff. It does have the unpleassant ring to it. I'm thinking what English word might best be used for _szperać _but right now nothing comes to my mind.


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## ThomasK

The starting point was browsing, for example in shops. Nothing negative about it, except perhaps for the owner that the customers feels no urge to buy...


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## dreamlike

ThomasK said:


> The starting point was browsing, for example in shops. Nothing negative about it, except perhaps for the owner that the customers feels no urge to buy...


I'm afraid we would be rather unlikely to use the word 'szperać' in such a context, and so would be the owner of the shop in the situation given. It would be extremely impolite, and the word doesn't really seem fit to be used in this context. That's the most natural-sounding sentence, coming from a disgruntled shop owner, using the word in question, I was able to come up with: 

_"Szperają w półkach godzinami, i nie zanosi się, by chcieli coś kupić."

_These are the usages I'd expect: _
Ktoś *szperał* w moich rzeczach! - _someone's been going through my stuff! _
Nie powiem ci od razu. Muszę po*szperać* w książce _- I can't tell you offhand. I have to browse through the book.


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## LilianaB

Ben Jamin said:


> Where did you get this from? Szperać is actually colloquial, but negative? Don't you confuse it with another word? The word is not much used nowadays, so maybe many people have quite a diffuse idea of it's meaning.


 I agree with Benjamin. It is sort of an older word, but not obsolete. It is not necessarily colloquial, and it does not have negative connotations (unless someone hates things which do not have any other purpose than fun or the act of doing something, or it gets on their nerves when people keep browsing through things in their presence). It more just like going through things for fun -- just to look at different things, without any other purpose than that, or to look for something in particular, for an extended period of time, and look at other thing in the meantime, as well.


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## R.O

I agree with Dreamlike; with one exception, though. I wouldn't use _szperać _for normal shops as opposed to second-hand shops where the word in question is perfectly acceptable, and maybe even preferable.


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