{"id":7259,"date":"2022-08-04T19:08:35","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T19:08:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=7259"},"modified":"2022-08-04T19:08:35","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T19:08:35","slug":"janky-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/janky-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Janky \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did your friend pull up to pick you up from work in their old, beaten-up car? You could say it\u2019s \u2018janky<\/em>\u2019 and they should get a new model. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The expression \u2018janky<\/em>\u2019 means an inanimate item in poor condition. It\u2019s an adjective referring to an item of low quality or something held in low social esteem. It can also refer to an item or object that appears worn, dilapidated, shabby, out of shape, and unappealing to the eye.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that \u2018janky<\/em>\u2019 mostly refers to inanimate objects, not people or animals. However, it can also refer to someone you find undesirable due to their personality, looks, or both.<\/p>\n

If something is \u2018janky<\/em>,\u2019 it\u2019s unreliable, like an old car at constant risk of breaking down on the highway. You\u2019ll use the term to describe items you find unappealing or needing repair or refurbishment.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cThis car is old and janky. It\u2019s time to trade it in for a new model. I hear the dealership has some awesome specials on new BMWs at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis house is janky. It looks like it\u2019s falling apart and needs extensive repairs. There\u2019s no way I\u2019m buying this property. I don\u2019t have the money to fix it up.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cThis all feels a little janky to me. Can\u2019t anybody structure it to look visually appealing to the viewer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat motorbike I janky. I told you there was something suspect about it. No one would sell it to you for that price if there wasn\u2019t something wrong with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis garden looks janky. It\u2019s all overgrown, and there are weeds everywhere. If we want to sell this place, we must get the yard into shape.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour dress looks a little janky. I wouldn\u2019t be caught dead in it. Let\u2019s get you something decent to wear to the party tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that experience was a little janky. I didn\u2019t know what to do and felt out of place the entire time. Let\u2019s go home and forget about it, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Origin<\/h2>\n

The expression \u2018janky\u2019 originates from the word \u2018murky.\u2019 The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word as a colloquial pronunciation of the word \u2018junky.\u2019 The earliest use of the term appears in 1994 in the book \u2018Juba to Jive: A Dictionary of African-American Slang.\u2019<\/p>\n

The entry defines the term as the following.<\/p>\n

\u2018a noun meaning \u2018bad luck,\u2019 and a variant of the word \u2018jinxed.\u2019<\/p>\n

However, the word changed its meaning over the years, referring to something in bad condition or in need of \u2018TLC.\u2019<\/p>\n

The word also appears in \u2018Rust: The Longest War,\u2019 published by Jonathan Waldman. The preface in the book has the title \u2018A Janky Old Boat.\u2019<\/p>\n