kink

Forms

kink f (plural kinken, diminutive kinkje n)^[1]

Etymology

It continues a Middle Dutch word that survives only in the compound kinchoren (“spiral shell, whelk”) (1488), and is reconstructed as inherited from Middle Dutch *kinc.^[2][3][1] The same word is Middle Low German kinke (“spiral shell; twist in a rope”) and Norwegian kink (“winding”).^[2][4][3] With a different vowel, perhaps by ablaut, the Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands and De Vries compare Middle Dutch conkele (“underground passage”) (whence konkel and konkelen), Old Norse kǫkkr (“ball, lump”) and Norwegian kank (“kink, knot”).^[2][4] A link with kikna (“to bend backwards”) is possible.^[2][5]

Further back the origin is unclear.^[2] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal calls the word of unknown origin.^[6] A connection with Ancient Greek γογγύλος (gongúlos, “round”) and Lithuanian gùnga (“hump, ball”), under a root Proto-Indo-European *geng- (“lump, balled together”), is proposed but uncertain.^[2][4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word itself is first found in 1636, in the question Wat kingh comt hier nu in de kabel? “what kink is coming into the cable now?”.^[6][2] A seamen's word list of 1671 defines it as a twist that comes into the cable as the ship swings.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Kink is above all a sailors' word, for a false twist or turn in a rope or steel cable, and by extension a fouled link in a chain.^[6][7] A general sense “twist, curl” is also recorded (1805).^[6]

The phrase er is een kink in de kabel “there is a kink in the cable”, i.e. something has gone wrong, is old: Winschoten explained it in 1681, and it lives on in Afrikaans.^[6][8][9] Sailors also warned sta uit de kinken!, literally “stand clear of the kinks” of a rope being paid out, and so “out of the way!”.^[8][6]

The nautical word passed to English as kink in the 17th century.^[4][5] It was also borrowed into German Kink, Danish kinke, Swedish kink, Finnish kinku (through Swedish), Russian and Papiamentu kènk.^[10][4][1]

Timeline

• 1636 – Kink is first recorded, in the question about a kink in the cable.^[6][11]
• 1670s – English kink is borrowed from Dutch.^[5]
• 1671 – A seamen's word list defines the kink in a cable.^[2][6]
• 1681 – Winschoten explains daar is een kink in de kaabel.^[8]
• 1805 – The general sense “twist, curl” is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (shipping) A false twist or turn in a cable or rope; a kink.^[7][6][1]

Related words

• konkel
• kinkhoorn
• English kink

Usage notes

Er is een kink in de kabel (gekomen) means that a difficulty has come up.^[7][9]

A separate masculine noun kink “hard blow, knock”, earlier also “dent” (1634), is the verbal noun of the verb kinken.^[4][6] It survives in slang, as in een kink op je oog “a punch in the eye”, found in literature from 1897.^[12][6] In southern Limburg kink is also a child's word for the little finger, perhaps an assimilation of pink.^[13][14][6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
3. ^ a b c Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
4. ^ a b c d e f Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
7. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
8. ^ a b c Winschoten, Wigardus à (1681), Seeman: behelsende een grondige uitlegging van de Neederlandse konst- en spreekwoorden, voor soo veel die uit de seevaart sijn ontleend, Leiden
9. ^ a b Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
10. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
11. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
12. ^ Sanders, Ewoud (2009), Van Dale Modern Bargoens woordenboek, Utrecht: Van Dale
13. ^ Weijnen, A. A. (2003), Etymologisch dialectwoordenboek, 2nd ed., Den Haag: Sdu
14. ^ Debrabandere, Frans (2011), Limburgs etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de woorden uit beide Limburgen, Zwolle: Wbooks