what's the "technical" definition?
the dictionary definition is as follows:
gossip-
1. Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature.
2. A person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors or facts.
3. Trivial, chatty talk or writing.
4. A close friend or companion.
5. Chiefly British A godparent.
nothing about it being false, only that it's talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature. so yea, even if you're spreading the "truth" about someone behind their back, it's still gossip.
if someone can give a dictionary/mahan kosh definition of ਚੁਗਲੀ it might help us for assessing it's place in sikhi.
ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ ੪ ॥
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
ਜਿਸੁ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਤਾਤਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਹੋਵੈ ਤਿਸ ਦਾ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਹੋਵੀ ਭਲਾ ॥
One whose heart is filled with jealousy of others, never comes to any good.
ਓਸ ਦੈ ਆਖਿਐ ਕੋਈ ਨ ਲਗੈ ਨਿਤ ਓਜਾੜੀ ਪੂਕਾਰੇ ਖਲਾ ॥
No one pays any attention to what he says; he is just a fool, crying out endlessly in the wilderness.
ਜਿਸੁ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਚੁਗਲੀ ਚੁਗਲੋ ਵਜੈ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਰਤਿਆ ਓਸ ਦਾ ਸਭੁ ਗਇਆ ॥
One whose heart is filled with malicious gossip, is known as a malicious gossip; everything he does is in vain.
ਨਿਤ ਚੁਗਲੀ ਕਰੇ ਅਣਹੋਦੀ ਪਰਾਈ ਮੁਹੁ ਕਢਿ ਨ ਸਕੈ ਓਸ ਦਾ ਕਾਲਾ ਭਇਆ ॥
Night and day, he continually gossips about others; his face has been blackened, and he cannot show it to anyone.
ਕਰਮ ਧਰਤੀ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਵਿਚਿ ਜੇਹਾ ਕੋ ਬੀਜੇ ਤੇਹਾ ਕੋ ਖਾਏ ॥
The body is the field of action, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; as you plant, so shall you harvest.
ਗਲਾ ਉਪਰਿ ਤਪਾਵਸੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ਵਿਸੁ ਖਾਧੀ ਤਤਕਾਲ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਏ ॥
Justice is not passed on mere words; if someone eats poison, he dies.
ਭਾਈ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਨਿਆਉ ਸਚੁ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਾ ਜੇਹਾ ਕੋਈ ਕਰੇ ਤੇਹਾ ਕੋਈ ਪਾਏ ॥
O Siblings of Destiny, behold the justice of the True Creator; as people act, so they are rewarded.
ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਉ ਸਭ ਸੋਝੀ ਪਾਈ ਹਰਿ ਦਰ ਕੀਆ ਬਾਤਾ ਆਖਿ ਸੁਣਾਏ ॥੧॥
The Lord has bestowed total understanding upon servant Nanak; he speaks and proclaims the words of the Lord's Court. ||1||
looks to me like gossip is the same as eating poison.