Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 301, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1910 — Origin of Binocle. [ARTICLE]

Origin of Binocle.

The word binocle is spelled in many different ways, all of which are, however, phonetic equivalents of the correct one. The word .Is evidently the Latin binus, double, ao4 oculus, an eye, and was probably adopted on account of the importance of the double combinations which are the chief counting element of the ghme. In-all German works on card games, and according to. Hoyle, the name Is spelled as we give it; but the pronunciation of the initial "b” in German is so near that of “p” thairf*pinochle” is nearer the correct spelling than any other form. There is iio authority for the introduction pf the “h,” which has led some persons to thtnk the word a compound of “bis” and “knockle,” and has given rise to the forms, binochle, pinochle, pinuchle, plnucle, penucle, penuchle, penuckle anl pinuckel, all of which, may be found in various works on card games.