malarkey English · revision 1957

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /məˈlɑːki/ ''(UK)''; /məˈlɑɹki/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Etymonline notes an 1894 Australian use of “Captain Mullurky” as a name for a military muddle,^(Etymonline) and that ''Mullarkey'' is an Irish surname.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Humbug, nonsense, foolishness (1924 in Etymonline; 1929 in Barnhart, Merriam-Webster and the OED, where Barnhart's first form is ''malaky'').^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word arose in American English in the 1920s^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) and has kept its meaning of insincere, exaggerated or misleading talk.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The similar American slang ''ackamarackus'' appeared about the same time (1934).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1924 – lies and exaggeration.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1929 – nonsense, humbug.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1934 – ''ackamarackus'', a similar coinage.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Foolish, exaggerated or insincere talk, often meant to deceive; nonsense.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bunkum]]

+ * [[baloney]]

+ * [[blarney]]

+ * [[humbug]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}