Hinky

[Alexey Fuchs]

I remember (actually, I learned) the word "hincty" from Kerouac's "On the
Road".
If Kerouac's "On the Road" is handy and searchable, it might be useful in
this thread; I do not remember the exact meaning of it in the novel (I think
it was "snooty", but this discussion might have led me off the track).

                                                                                A.Fuchs

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at listserv.uga.edu]On Behalf
> Of Douglas G. Wilson
> Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 16:26
> To: ADS-L at listserv.uga.edu
> Subject: Re: Hinky
>
>
> >... I don't think they are the same word. _Hinky_ as in 'dubious,
> >suspicious, out of kilter,' etc. comes from Scots. _hink_, a
> hesitation, a
> >misgiving; this can indeed have the synonym _hincty_; _hincty_ as in
> >'snobbish, haughty', and generally seen as African-American, has a
> >different eymology ....
>
> I think they probably are the same word, although this is just my casual
> impression.
>
> I agree that "hinky"/"hinkty" probably originated as the adjective form of
> "hink" = "hesitation"/"hitch [in walking]". I think the sense probably
> evolved from "hesitating" to "[feeling] hesitant/doubtful/suspicious" to
> "[appearing] doubtful/suspicious/fishy" ["He became hinky when he saw the
> crude patches on his parachute." vs. "His parachute looked hinky, with
> crude patches."].
>
> I think "hinkty" = "snobbish" probably shows a parallel evolution from
> "[feeling] doubtful/suspicious" to "squeamish"/"fastidious" to
> "snooty"/"uppity". ["The driver is hinkty about picking up hitchhikers."
> vs. "The hitchhiker felt that the driver was too hinkty to pick him up."]
>
> Years ago (maybe 1960's or so), I occasionally heard "hinkty"
> (not "hinky",
> which I heard later, and which I probably encountered first in a police
> novel or so). I can't recall hearing "hinkty" exactly meaning "haughty"
> (although of course some have used it so); as I recall the sense in my own
> experience seemed to range from
> "fidgety"/"restless"/"uncomfortable"/"hesitant" to "fussy"/"squeamish" --
> when I was able to interpret it at all. But I've heard usages along the
> line of "The doorman got hinkty about letting me in." -- where I think the
> progression from "dubious" or "hesitant" to "snooty" might be natural.
>
> -- Doug Wilson
>