different between spanger vs spadger

English

spange +? -er (“person who does”), root blend of spare +? change, from stereotyped phrase “spare change?”, “spare any change?”

spanger (plural spangers)

(US, slang, derogatory) beggar, one who uses the phrase “spare change?”
- 2007, Pam Hogeweide, Spangers and Song on Hawthorne:
  I squatted down on the sidewalk to get eye level with the spanger (someone who asks passerbys for spare change).

While sometimes used neutrally, more often used pejoratively, with connotations of professional begging.

spadger (plural spadgers)

(dialectal or colloquial) A sparrow.
- 1961, Margery Allingham, Three cases for Mr. Campion, p. 82:
  The broadcasting blokes are twittering away like spadgers over there.
- 1977, Roald Dahl, "The Swan"
  'If you think spadgers is easy,' the father said, 'go get yourself a jenny wren. Jenny wrens is 'alf the size of spadgers and they never sit still for one second. Get yourself a jenny wren before you start shootin' yer mouth off about 'ow clever you is.'
(colloquial) A boy.
- 1970, Donald Harington, Lightning Bug:
  He laughs and says, “My, you sure talk brash, for such a little spadger.”

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