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Novel vs Tale - What's the difference?

novel | tale |

In obsolete terms the difference between novel and tale

is that novel is a novelty; something new while tale is a speech; a statement; talk; conversation; discourse.

As an adjective novel

is new, original, especially in an interesting way.

As a verb tale is

to speak; discourse; tell tales.

novel

English

(wikipedia novel)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • new, original, especially in an interesting way
  • Usage notes
    * Said of ideas, ways, etc.
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Etymology 2

    In various senses from (etyl) novelle or (etyl) novella, both from (etyl) novella, a singular noun use of the neuter plural of novellus, from . Some senses came to English directly from the Latin. (etystub)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A novelty; something new.
  • *, II.2.4:
  • merry talessuch as the old woman told of Psyche in Apuleius, Boccace novels , and the rest, quarum auditione pueri delectantur, senes narratione , which some delight to hear, some to tell, all are well pleased with.
  • A work of prose fiction, longer than a short story.
  • (classical studies, historical) A new legal constitution in ancient Rome.
  • Derived terms
    * novelisation, novelization * novelist

    tale

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) . Related to tell, talk.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Number.
  • (obsolete) Account; estimation; regard; heed.
  • (obsolete) Speech; language.
  • (obsolete) A speech; a statement; talk; conversation; discourse.
  • (legal, obsolete) A count; declaration.
  • (rare, or, archaic) Numbering; enumeration; reckoning; account; count.
  • * (John Dryden)
  • Both number twice a day the milky dams; And once she takes the tale of all the lambs.
  • (rare, or, archaic) A number of things considered as an aggregate; sum.
  • (rare, or, archaic) A report of any matter; a relation; a version.
  • An account of an asserted fact or circumstance; a rumour; a report, especially an idle or malicious story; a piece of gossip or slander; a lie.
  • * , chapter=7
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=“A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing. […]”}}
  • A rehearsal of what has occurred; narrative; discourse; statement; history; story.
  • A number told or counted off; a reckoning by count; an enumeration.
  • * Hooker
  • the ignorant, who measure by tale , and not by weight
  • * Milton
  • And every shepherd tells his tale , / Under the hawthorn in the dale.
  • * Carew
  • In packing, they keep a just tale of the number.
  • * 1843 (Thomas Carlyle), '', book 2, ch. 5, ''Twelfth Century
  • They proceeded with some rigour, these Custodiars; took written inventories, clapt-on seals, exacted everywhere strict tale and measure
  • (slang) The fraudulent opportunity presented by a confidence man to the mark (sense 3.3) of a confidence game.
  • Derived terms
    * fairy tale / fairytale * folk tale / folktale * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * tall tale * telltale * tell tales * tell tales out of school

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) talen, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (tal)
  • (dialectal, or, obsolete) To speak; discourse; tell tales.
  • (dialectal, chiefly, Scotland) To reckon; consider (someone) to have something.
  • Etymology 3

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Anagrams

    * ----