Honk

See also: honk and hönk

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• Hong
• Hunk, Hung (Kölsch)
• Hond (Moselle Franconian; southern Ripuarian)

Etymology

From Old High German hunt (with Ripuarian velarisation), from Proto-Germanic *hundaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hoŋk/

Noun

Honk m (plural Höng or Hong, diminutive Hönkche)

1. (most dialects of Ripuarian) dog; hound

Usage notes

• The forms with nk (ng) are preserved even in dialects that have widely reverted the velarisation in word-final position.

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German

Etymology

Uncertain. Apparently not attested before the 21st century. One theory traces it back to English honky (“Caucasian person”), but this word is little known in Germany and the semantics are hardly satisfactory. Somewhat more plausible seems the derivation from a humorous military acronym for Hauptschüler ohne nennenswerte Kenntnisse, roughly referring to a “recruit with lesser education and no mentionable skills”. Such acronyms are often secondary, however.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɔŋk/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Honk m (genitive Honks, plural Honks)

1. (colloquial) moron (stupid person)