to chink away at

[IQU3838]

Hi

What does "chink away" mean in the following context?

"He had been busy writing, chinking away at a story he'd begun since last Aug."

I can't find the phrase "chink away" in the dictionary, could anyone help me out?

Thank you very much.

 

[freezeframe]

Hi

What does "chink away" mean in the following context?

"He had been busy writing, chinking away at a story he'd begun since last Aug."

I can't find the phrase "chink away" in the dictionary, could anyone help me out?

Thank you very much.

Where did you find this? "He'd begun since last August"? It's not a very grammatical sentence. :-D

 

[Barb_D]

I expect the intended meaning is how I would use the word "chipping." Making slow but steady progress on something.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would probably not use the word "chink" since it is also a derogatory word used for Chinese people.

 

[TheParser]

I would probably not use the word "chink" since it is also a derogatory word used for Chinese people.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) Excellent point.

(2) That is why thoughtful and well-mannered people no longer

use such once popular phrases as:

I noticed a chink in his armor. ( = I discovered a defect in his

character or ideas.)

(3) I assume that many of the learners are young people who may

be doing international business. It would be a wise decision -- in my

opinion -- to drop this word from their active vocabulary. That is,

never ever say or write it.


Respectfully yours,


James

 

[Barb_D]

I try to be politically sensitive, but this is ridiculous.

You can't say "chink" as in "a chink in his armor" because it could cause offense to Chinese?

That's even worse than not being able to use the words "niggardly" -- a word related to "niggling" as in "niggling doubt" -- because it SOUNDS like a truly offensive word with which is shares absolutely no word origins.

 

[freezeframe]

You can't say "chink" as in "a chink in his armor" because it could cause offense to Chinese?

You can say it if you want to. I think TheParser was engaged in a bit of a straw-man argument.

 

[Allen165]

I try to be politically sensitive, but this is ridiculous.

You can't say "chink" as in "a chink in his armor" because it could cause offense to Chinese?

That's even worse than not being able to use the words "niggardly" -- a word related to "niggling" as in "niggling doubt" -- because it SOUNDS like a truly offensive word with which is shares absolutely no word origins.

I wouldn't say that to a Chinese person because it could be interpreted as an insulting play on words. Just my take.

 

[freezeframe]

I wouldn't say that to a Chinese person because it could be interpreted as an insulting play on words. Just my take.

I wouldn't say that phrase to anyone. Because, who says it anyway?! :-D

I think it's a personal choice when it comes to situations like these. It also would depend on who I'm talking to. But that's true for many word choices, not just the potentially racist words.

 

[SoothingDave]

I try to be politically sensitive, but this is ridiculous.

You can't say "chink" as in "a chink in his armor" because it could cause offense to Chinese?

That's even worse than not being able to use the words "niggardly" -- a word related to "niggling" as in "niggling doubt" -- because it SOUNDS like a truly offensive word with which is shares absolutely no word origins.

I'm not politically correct at all, but I think it's important for those learning the language to know things that may, in some situations, be taken as offensive.

 

[JTRiff]

no tteacher

It's a bad choice of word. You chip away at something, never heard chink away, it's bad English.

 

[cubezero3]

A few years ago, while I was talking with an Englishwoman, she said that I had quite a large build for a chink, if I remember it correctly. She's from Cornwall. Her son is a very good friend of mine. I didn't think she meant anything negative, so I just laughed.

I guess as time goes by, many words that have been viewed as offensive may drop their negative conotation to the point both the speaker and listener would feel anything unusual about them.

 

[freezeframe]

A few years ago, while I was talking with an Englishwoman, she said that I had quite a large build for a chink, if I remember it correctly. She's from Cornwall. Her son is a very good friend of mine. I didn't think she meant anything negative, so I just laughed.

I guess as time goes by, many words that have been viewed as offensive may drop their negative connotation to the point both the speaker and listener would feel anything unusualy about them.

It depends on a situation. Perhaps one doesn't take offense if it's someone they know and are aware that the person doesn't mean to offend. It's better to be cautious.

My personal views aside, saying words that are considered offensive can have serious repercussions for a person's career, school, etc.