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widji board
Posted: 20 February 2004 03:54 AM   [ Ignore ]
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Yesterday I was playing Scrabble with a friend when he mentioned ojeriza (which I’d never heard before, besides the not so common disgusting sense that it has in Portuguese) and explained that it was this "game" with letters disposed around the table and a glass in the middle where you would ask supernatural questions and they would be answered to you by the glass.  When I heard that, I suddenly said widji board and then he asked me how to spell that and I didn’t know.  I tried a lot of spellings but to no avail.  Does anybody here know how to spell that?
Thanks so much,
Brazilian dude

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Posted: 20 February 2004 04:31 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]
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From our beloved AHD:

Oui·ja

A trademark used for a board with the alphabet and other symbols on it, and a planchette that is thought, when touched with the fingers, to move in such a way as to spell out spiritualistic and telepathic messages on the board.  

David

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ai pente odegusai archai:&&&&agnot;ês, aphesis, apheidia, mê philautia, tapeinophrosunê

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Posted: 20 February 2004 04:35 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]
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The correct spelling is Ouija. http://azaz.essortment.com/ouijahistory_rltn.htm

- Robby

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Posted: 20 February 2004 05:25 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]
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Wordreference.com adds some etymology to their entry:

Ouija board
noun ®
a board on which are marked the letters of the alphabet. Answers to questions are spelt out by a pointer or glass held by the fingertips of the participants, and are supposedly formed by spiritual forces
[ETYMOLOGY: 19th Century: from French oui yes + German ja yes]

 

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Posted: 28 February 2004 06:54 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]
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Thank you so much, guys.  As usual, you have been most helpful.
Brazilian dude

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Languages rule!

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Posted: 17 March 2004 03:32 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]
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The game’s originators called it Ouija because of the French and German forms of yes, oui and ja.  Besides letters and numbers, the board includes the words yes and no, so that the inquisitors can ask the spirits yes and no questions.  

Quite a parlor game in which many young people believe absolutely.

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