Podunk Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster According to linguistics experts, the origin of this phrase derives from the late 1800s Vaudeville era, a popular style of entertainment that included jugglers, comedians, singers and more. Don't use slang or colloquial expressions. Christopher Fitzgerald/AP However, in the segregated South, seats in the back or upper balcony levels were mostly reserved for Black people, according to author Stuart Berg Flexner, an expert on the origins of American phrases. hmm welll.. zuppameep to u too u jerk!!! Their one-horse, backwater burg may be a quintessential American everytown, but over the centuries it's been given a name, and that name is "Podunk." If Podunk happened to be a junction with a branch line, the railroad might set out a sleeper at Podunk during the day. "What's striking about 'open the kimono' is how clearly rude it is," Alan Conor, author of "The Crossword Century" and "The Joy of Quiz," told ABC News. Howdy Doody, Bob Smith as Buffalo Bob Smith entertains the "Peanut Gallery" on an episode of "Howdy Doody.". And, he adds, there are all kinds of words for places, both negative and positive, that get detached from their original meaning: Shangri-La, for instance, or Xanadu: "Words have interesting histories. A minor scale definition: am I missing something? Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, link) . 78 Synonyms & Antonyms of DEROGATORY - Merriam Webster From: THE FAR, FAR REACHES OF THE WILD, WILD WEST. Cows graze in a field in the Podunk section of East Brookfield, Mass. "The itis". Countless times in the movie, they used slang phrases such as "podunk" or "pough town" to describe the area. One moose, two moose. But as Cohan's childhood attests, there was nothing imaginary about Podunk. Countless times in the movie, they used slang phrases such as "podunk" or "pough town" to describe the area. Most notably, the term evolved into "football hooliganism," destructive behavior from European football (but really soccer) fans. For example, I believe the usage of "white nigga" isn't offensive since there are major claims radio broadcasters don't censor/filter it. I could say that right in front of my family, friends and colleagues. The food is suss. It's not perfect, the English language but it helps with expression and conveying a message IMHO. Though most people use the word "cretin" to refer to someone that is "insensitive" or "stupid," Merriam-Webster writes that the word used to refer to those who lives in the French-Swiss Alps, and were affected with hypothyroidism. Though steeped in controversy, some think the first part of this phrase relates to anti-Semitic demonstrations that started in Germany in the 19th century. You, my friend, are in Podunk. It's awesome to see how things that would seem gross or weird to guys in the dorm seem perfectly okay to them. But how did "Podunk" come to stand in for any tiny, forgotten whistle-stop of a town? It's 90 miles to the nearest motel. NPR reports that during slavery in the US, masters in the North often sold their misbehaving slaves, sending them down the Mississippi River to plantations in Mississippi, where conditions were much harsher. One of the most famous people to refer to Podunk was Mark Twain, who in 1869 wrote that a certain fact was known even "in Podunk, wherever that may be. And folks who live in the various Podunks are pretty well-practiced at pushing back against its common usage. The "peanut gallery" was the cheapest section of seats, usually occupied by people with limited means. Podunk is not necessarily derogatory; there is an implication of insignificance but then 99.9% of all the inhabited communities in the U. S. of A. fill that bill. Of Algonquian origin. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider +++++ But another expression I would add to the list is "a bumpkin town". Podunk \POH-dunk\ noun. 2. mod. "This simply seems to have attached a particular name and again, unless someone from a place named Podunk is particularly offended by it, it doesn't sound like it was done with any malicious intent towards any particular people. ", Wolvengrey says there are obviously words that "reflect a racist attitude towards indigenous people" but Podunk doesn't seem to be one of them. Today, the phrase is a way of talking about revealing corporate information. Cond Nast Traveler may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The fascinating story behind many people's favori Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz! A correspondent asked that question of the editors of the Buffalo, New York, Daily National Pilot in 1846, then answered himself: "It is in the world, sir; and more than that, is a little world of itself." Podunks - definition of Podunks by The Free Dictionary Where did the term Podunk come from? The terms include "peanut gallery," "plantation shutters" and "open the kimono.". Send us feedback about these examples. Copyright 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, words and phrases and their origins are being reexamined, the Washington Redskins have decided to change their name. Hayakawa, Choose the Right Word: A Modern Guide to Synonyms (1968) doesn't discuss derogatory, but it too parks vulgar and offensive in separate word groups: obnoxious, hateful, odious, offensive The words in this list are applied to a person or thing which arouses dislike, distaste, hostility, or opposition. Many common terms and phrases are actually rooted in racist, sexist, or generally distasteful language. Apparently the term derived from a real locale somewhere in New York State. Podunk. Podunk is a derogatory slang term for a very rural and unimportant community. Anyway, I'm surprised how even university researchers in philosophy and sociology have been struggling, trying to figure this out. Also, the birthplace of Connie Mack! But the Podunk called their homeplace Nowashe, 'between' rivers. Derogatory may be used of one's own actions or activity that tends to detract from his reputation or to lower him in the estimation of others [examples omitted] More often the term is applied to expressions or modes of expression (as . "I It excited a two-line paragraph there. "Gyp" or "gip" most likely evolved as a shortened version of "gypsy" more correctly known as the Romani, an ethnic group now mostly in Europe and America. But beyond its Algonquian roots, much of the linguistic history of Podunk is kind of murky. To answer your other question, the difference is that Slovak and Croat were never used as slurs or in derogatory manners. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Just to be safe, we can easily avoid the first two words. I believe a listener or reader of these would take the "derogatory" sentence to mean it's offensive to Chinese people", whereas the "offensive" sentence may be taken to mean it's both offensive to Chinese people, but in addition to that, may be seen as offensive on a more general scale; that is, offensive to people at large because racial intolerance is offensive to everyone. But, there are distinctions among the words in many/most cases, I hope I've shown some. A team of builders are working on a site, and every fifth word that comes out of their mouths is the 'F' word. said Janice Agrios, chairwoman of the board of directors. Offensive is the mildest word in this list. That's the question we're faced with now. In American discourse, the term podunk came into general colloquial use through the wide national readership of the "Letters from Podunk" of 1846, in the Daily National Pilot of Buffalo, New York. "If this is Podunk, it is truly nowhere", Read, Allen 1939 "The Rationale of Podunk. At the time, he was living in Buffalo, moving to Hartford, Connecticut in 1871, in a home within 4 miles (6.4km) of the Podunk River. Rather than saying he didn't know what certain place names meant, Goddard says, Bright cited a man named John C. Huden, who in 1962 published a book called Indian Place Names of New England. 2. When a gnoll vampire assumes its hyena form, do its HP change? "Podunk After Pratt: Place and Placelessness in East Hartford, CT." In, Read, Allen 1939. Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Random House, Inc. 2023. any small and insignificant or inaccessible town or village: After a year in the big city, I was ready to move back to Podunk. The last I heard he had moved to some podunk little town in the middle of nowhere. In English it's derogatory due to the history ("dirty Polack", "stupid Polack") so Pole is more appropriate. The term stemmed from the Bogomils, who led a religious sect during the Middle Ages called "Bulgarus." So, it's really a good question? Take a ride to Podunk and you can see High Rocks from the intersection of Flagg Road and Podunk Road. For example, the popular phrase "peanut gallery," typically used to reference hecklers, originated as a term to refer to those usually Black people who sat in the "cheapest" section of the Vaudeville theaters. It became a derogatory way to refer to natural hair texture of non-white people throughout Africa, Cedric Burrows, author of "Rhetorical Crossover: The Black Rhetorical Presence in White Culture," told ABC News. Hence, also boondockers "shoes suited for rough terrain," originally (1944) U.S. services slang word for field boots. Capitalized in this use. Other sources, like Clarence Rook's book, "The Hooligan Nights," claim that Patrick Houlihan actually existed and that he was a bouncer and a thief in Ireland. This was a term that Europeans used for a huge group of indigenous people living in the Arctic regions. Our Podunk may be no more than a junction in the road, with a population of 30 at tops, but it is definitely a real place. His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project. It denoted both the Podunk people and marshy locations, particularly the people's winter village site on the border of present-day East Hartford and South Windsor, Connecticut. Crypto Accessed 1 May. Podunk - Idioms by The Free Dictionary This phrase started appearing in London newspapers around 1898. derogatory, depreciatory, depreciative, disparaging, slighting, pejorative mean designed or tending to belittle. Any information published by Cond Nast Traveler is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Please assume good faith. Sorry if this is perceived wrong. "We have no idea what the word means," says Ives Goddard, senior linguist emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution and a leading expert on Algonquian languages. Another difference I can see is that people can take offence to things that aren't directed at them, but to things that may just be a breach of civility or custom. Podunk, Iowa - definition of Podunk, Iowa by The Free Dictionary hide caption. Vaudeville brought with it a vogue for small-town names that were deemed hilarious thanks to an abundance of k's and other funny sounds. According to Mic, it stems from a longer (and incredibly offensive) version n----ritis. When a friendly MALE proceeds to forcfully stimulate your prostate with an OPEN alcoholic beverage bottle. vulgar, coarse, crude, gross, obscene These words are comparable in that they are all used when one wishes to describe the character, speech, or actions of people who have in some way offended one's sensibilities or moral standards. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. "We need to dig deeper and understand where the phrases and words we use come from because if we don't we are being complicit in perpetuating the racist systems that are embedded in our language.". "There is racism embedded throughout our language system just like every other system," said Jeffrey Barg, a Philadelphia Inquirer columnist known as The Angry Grammarian, told ABC News. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Lacy, John. Last edited on Oct 07 2016. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Which one to choose? To discredit or denigrate (derogatory) someone is likely to be offensive, but so is not saying "thank you", and it's not derogatory, it's simply offensive for another reason. This is clearly a shade of meaning to be recognised. A small isolated town, region, or place that is regarded as unimportant. To me the essence of podunk, however, is the notion of "country bumpkin'. But vulgar points more to a lack of refinement or good taste while obscene suggests a preoccupation with the pornographic: [examples omitted]. "It's used without a lot of thought about its literal meaning, and I'm sure that there are people who, if reminded how predatory it sounds, would tee-hee rather than blush," Conor continued. Vulgar suggests something that is offensive to good taste or decency, frequently with the added implication of boorishness or ill breeding [examples omitted], derogatory, depreciatory, depreciative, disparaging, slighting, pejorative mean designed or tending to belittle. "Is its use doing more harm than good? I think this is the answer that's quite good. The word podunk is of Algonquian origin. Podunk was a place name long before it became a punchline. The people there are probably a little creepy. dunk (pdngk) n. Slang A small isolated town, region, or place that is regarded as unimportant. Huden "would look through all this amateur literature and find a [place] name, find a translation, and pick the one he liked," Goddard explains. Today, the phrases have caught on with many individuals and spread throughout many states and towns all across America. People could take a local train coming down the branch to Podunk and board the sleeper, which would be picked up by an overnight trainand taken to a larger town down the line. Our most popular newsletter for destination inspiration, travel tips, trip itineraries, and everything else you need to be an expert traveler in this beautiful world, Women Who Travel Podcast: The Weird and Wonderful World of Road Tripping, Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Newport, Rhode Island, The Most Beautiful Places in Portugal, From Douro Valley Vineyards to the Islets of the Azores, These Small Towns in France Are Straight Out of a Storybook. Short story about swapping bodies as a job; the person who hires the main character misuses his body. thank you, you show me the good way! Can I use my Coinbase address to receive bitcoin? Even though Poughkeepsie may not even count as a podunk town anymore, it should always be credited for inspiring the popular phrase. Slang Define: What is Podunk? - meaning and definition 2. noun A fictional rural place that is completely insignificant, out-of-the-way, and unsophisticated or uninteresting. is podunk derogatory. It denoted both the Podunk people and marshy locations, particularly the people's winter village site on the border of present-day East Hartford and South Windsor, Connecticut. a phrase for a small or rural town that was popularized by the movie "The French Connection" in 1971, starring Gene Hackman.The film was about a drug smuggling operation that had french connections in mid-state New York. Podunk - usa_slang.en-academic.com Nglish: Translation of derogatory for Spanish Speakers, Britannica English: Translation of derogatory for Arabic Speakers. This is the big city, not Podunk. Until, one day, things change: The scenery turns gray; the people lose their charm. ", The other thing people likely don't know? what is "Podunk" - Model Railroader Magazine - Model Railroading, Model Language can have a positive or negative influence on who we are, and how we see other people. Or as some people say, "Some Podunk town in the middle of nowhere.". In the midst of a cultural awakening on race, commonly used words and phrases and their origins are being reexamined and, in some cases, redefined entirely. Anthony Swofford on Americas Best War Writer, Karl Marlantes, The Witchcraft Delusion In Colonial Connecticut (1647-1697). It sounds like there's hope for Podunk. in fact, in the 1940's text, the term is used as a slang word to describe a very common sleeper - maybe ruined - , not a Pullmann!thank you again, it increases my english knowledge! ", (I did, in fact, find some definitions the most plausible being from the Nipmuc Indian Association of Connecticut's quarterly newsletter: "Podunk or Pautunke, means 'where you sink in mire', a boggy place, in the Nipmuc dialect. How to have multiple colors with a single material on a single object? nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost. S.I. Mumbo jumbo was first used in the 1700s in West Africa by travel writer Francis Moore in his book "Travels In The Interior Districts of Africa," who described Mumbo Jumbo as a masked dancer who was involved in certain religious ceremonies.