Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Spell or splinter

101 replies

Itshotoutthere · 07/01/2023 18:48

When I told someone I had a spell in my finger, it sparked a debate, is the correct term a sprinter or a spell?

OP posts:
MyDogStoodOnABee · 07/01/2023 20:46

Spell

RUNPMTS · 07/01/2023 20:49

Spelk

MasterBeth · 07/01/2023 20:54

Never heard spell. It's a splinter.

SinnerBoy · 07/01/2023 20:55

Gatekeeper · Today 19:10

N.E England and we call them spelks. Howevee my old mate from Middlesbrough so only a few miles away called them spells

Smoggies, eh?

SinnerBoy · 07/01/2023 20:56

SameToo · Today 20:38

Ah knew ye was great canny, like!

SinnerBoy · 07/01/2023 20:57

Geet! Sodding autodefect!!

Floydthebarber · 07/01/2023 20:59

Fascinating, I have only ever known spilnter. Didn't even consider they could have another name.

bobbytorq · 07/01/2023 21:04

Never heard of spell. It's splinter near me.

SameToo · 07/01/2023 21:13

@SinnerBoy 😂 proper canny us like!

SinnerBoy · 07/01/2023 21:16

We're at the coast, how about you? I was on a thread a couple of weeks ago and it was all Tynemouth, Whitley, Monkseaton, the Toon.

SameToo · 07/01/2023 21:38

@SinnerBoy i left 15 years ago 😭😭 I miss the Toon and the sea so much! Plus people where I am now still don’t understand the words I use 🙄

eatdrinkandbemerry · 07/01/2023 21:40

Splinter

pocketvenuss · 07/01/2023 21:43

Spell, spelk, spelf, skelf, splinter..... anymore?!!

jackstini · 07/01/2023 21:48

Splinter here - Nottinghamshire

StormInaDcup99 · 07/01/2023 21:49

Skelf in Northern ireland

Splodgerbodgerbadger · 07/01/2023 21:51

We always said splinter. As a child a spell is newspaper that was rolled up tight and tied a bit like a pretzel and used to light the fire.

Hollyhobbi · 07/01/2023 21:52

Splinter East Coast of Ireland but my granny from Donegal always called us wains when we were kids!

Willyoujustbequiet · 07/01/2023 21:54

Spelk - nort east/borders

Butchyrestingface · 07/01/2023 21:55

Skelf.

BarbaraofSeville · 07/01/2023 21:56

It's a spell here, which seems to be in the minority.

I wonder if the people who say spell also call small round pieces of bread 'bread cakes' and expect their fish cakes to involve sliced potato and batter rather than mash and breadcrumbs?

Gatekeeper · 07/01/2023 22:00

SinnerBoy · 07/01/2023 20:55

Gatekeeper · Today 19:10

N.E England and we call them spelks. Howevee my old mate from Middlesbrough so only a few miles away called them spells

Smoggies, eh?

Aye...funny buggers an' all

SinnerBoy · 07/01/2023 22:04

SameToo · Today 21:38

Aye, they divvint taak proppa English, like!

KatyMac · 07/01/2023 22:06

MyShrivelledGnarlyFinger · 07/01/2023 19:08

It's a Shiver in my part of England

DH (Jamaican) uses shiver, I always thought it was a mispronounced slither

I use splinter or "wow that's fab let me get a needle!"

TriceratopsRocks · 07/01/2023 22:09

BarbaraofSeville · 07/01/2023 21:56

It's a spell here, which seems to be in the minority.

I wonder if the people who say spell also call small round pieces of bread 'bread cakes' and expect their fish cakes to involve sliced potato and batter rather than mash and breadcrumbs?

I eat bread cakes, and my fish cakes are potato and batter, but a splinter is a splinter 🙂

SameToo · 07/01/2023 22:18

@SinnerBoy got ma geordie mate here and we say that all the time 😂