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OP
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Would present participle "blinging" be a synonym?
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Not a reply, just a quick reflex on the XBonus:
OUCH!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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not a reply; just a response to Anu's "There are times, however, when I just have to reach into my grab-bag of loose words and offer them while I think of a new topic. It's one of those weeks."
I can relate -- most of my weeks are like this!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Today's word 'clinquant' gets me to words that can be used in both active and a passive ways. In the details on the word 'clinquant' the dutch word 'klinken'turns up.I gave it a second look as this is a native laguage word. Klinken is used passively in: Deze klinken goed. = These sound well, or good. But it is also used actively: used as: toasting a drink. "Zullen we hier op klinken?" = "Shall we have a toast on this?", hitting glasses against eachother. (If you do this too hard you'll end up with little clinqants).  I try to think of english words that can be used both passive- and actively, but I can't find any. Are there?
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stranger
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stranger
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In French, "clinquant" is clearly derogatory. Jewels that are "clinquant" are either imitation or they are showy and vulgar. Mark Twain's book "The Gilded Age" was translated as "l'âge du clinquant" (to translate the difference between "golden age" and "gilded age"). In the example given, the word does not sound derogatory at all in English.What do native speakers think of it (I'm French)? Is it derogatery or not in English?
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Quote:
In French, "clinquant" is clearly derogatory. Jewels that are "clinquant" are either imitation or they are showy and vulgar. Mark Twain's book "The Gilded Age" was translated as "l'âge du clinquant" (to translate the difference between "golden age" and "gilded age"). In the example given, the word does not sound derogatory at all in English.What do native speakers think of it (I'm French)? Is it derogatery or not in English?
I would love to hear that answer too. I also thought the word meant something like cheap, fake materials.
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the 1913 Webster's has "glittering of gold or silver";
MWCD has "glittering of gold or tinsel". go figure..
OED2 shows us the meaning drift in action:
A. adj. Glittering with gold or silver, and hence with metallic imitations of these; tinselled, ‘dressed in spangles’ (J.).
1613 SHAKES. Hen. VIII, I. i. 19 The French, All Clinquant all in Gold, like Heathen Gods Shone downe the English. 1623 FLETCHER & ROWLEY Maid Mill V. ii, A clinquant petticoat of some rich stuff, To catch the eye. 1635 BROME Sparagus Garden III. v, Courtiers Clinquant, and no counterfeit stuffe upon 'hem. 1658 OSBORN Adv. Son (1673) 200 A gentile Garb and decent Habit: yet..not Clinckant or Rich, since Gold lace, Rings or Jewels, hath not seldom rendred Travellers the prey of Braves and Murderers. 1676 SHADWELL Virtuoso III. i, Fine sparks..very clinquent, slight, and bright..make a very pretty show at first; but the Tinsel-Gentlemen do so tarnish in the wearing. 1839 Fraser's Mag. 115 In ‘clinquant gold’ the sovereign sun walks round.
b. fig.
1613 CHAPMAN Masque Inns Crt. Plays 1873 III. 110 Inure thy souldiers to hardnes, tis honorable, though not clinkant. 1682 SHADWELL Medal Ep. Ab, He has an easiness in Rime, and a knack at Versifying, and can make a slight thing seem pretty and clinquant.
B. n. [Fr. clinquant was short for or clinquant, and originally meant real gold in leaf or thin plates, used for decorative purposes. Thence it was extended to imitations.]
1. Imitation of gold leaf; tinsel; Dutch gold.
1691 RAY N.C. Wds., Clincquant, brass thinly wrought out into leaves. 1874 KNIGHT Dict. Mech. I. 65/2 s.v. Alloy, Clinquant, same as yellow copper, Dutch gold.
2. Literary or artistic ‘tinsel’, false glitter.
1711 ADDISON Spect. No. 5 {page}5, I..agree with Monsieur Boileau, that one Verse in Virgil is worth all the Clincant or Tinsel of Tasso [le clinquant du Tasse]. 1762-71 H. WALPOLE Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) III. 27 Lely supplied the want of taste with clinquant. 1839 Fraser's Mag. XIX. 65 The worst portion of the silly bits of clinquant strung together, and called gems of beauty.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Good heavens! That's a lot of scintillating information. Thank you, Tsuwm!(and your scources)
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stranger
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OP
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Does the French "clinquant" also imply the sound made by the metal bits striking each other, as the Dutch "klinken" does?
Looking up "bling," "bling bling" and "blinging" in the Urban Dictionary, I found references to the cartoon sound effect of light striking a shiny bit of jewelry. Also, "bling" refers both to the real thing (diamonds, gold, any expensive shiny thing) and cheap imitations.
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Pooh-Bah
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Bling doesn't imply fake but often implies showy or gaudy, at least to me. A gold wedding band is not bling, giant rap star or Mr. T jewellery is.
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