plinky-plonky en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (General-American) audio
- /ˈplɪŋkiˌplɑŋki/ (General-American)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈplɪŋkiˌplɒŋki/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree English plink Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English plinky English plonk ▲ English -y English plonky English plinky-plonky From plinky + plonky, a reduplication of plinky. Plinky is derived from plink (“to make a plink sound”, verb) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’); and plonky from plonk (“(noun) sound of something solid landing; (verb) to set or toss (something) down carelessly”) + -y. Both plink and plonk are onomatopoeic.
Meanings
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(informal) Especially of a musical instrument such as a piano: making sharp, tinny sounds; plinky.
"Plinky Plonky" is the title of a novelty fox-trot waltz, the composition of Mr. Harry Slogden, which is one of the features of the Drury Lane pantomime, and promises to be a very successful number.
[1919 December 31, “Pantomime Song Hits. All the Winners. [West and Co.’s Pantomime Features.]”, in The Era, volume 83, number 4,241, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 37, column 3:The banjoists in particular eschewed the plinky-plonky upstrokes that the dance bands of the period favoured, and instead kept a steady and uncluttered four-in-a-bar going which was complemented by the 'walking' left-hand arpeggios of pianist Lil Hardin.
1978, Humphrey Lyttelton, “King Oliver”, in The Best of Jazz: Basin Street to Harlem: Jazz Masters and Masterpieces, 1917–1930, London: Robson Books, →ISBN, page 46:[I]t was just a plinky-plonky piano thing that would serve you just as well at the airport as at your funeral.
1995, Nick Hornby, chapter 25, in High Fidelity, New York, N.Y.: Riverhead Books, published August 1995, →ISBN, page 233:The Hunt for Red October […] Potentially a very good game, but ruined by both poor graphics and sound. […] [I]f you can put up with the plinky plonky sound and jerky graphics there is still something of a game to be salvaged from the wreckage.
1992 June, Barg [pseudonym], “Console Countdown”, in Paul Lakin, editor, Game Zone, number 8, London: Dennis Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 101, column 4:The combination which gets nearest to having ensemble Swing as we now know it is King Oliver's. This seems to be due to the fact that, in spite of the inevitable plinky-plonky banjo, it has the best rhythm section.
1936 March, Edgar Jackson, “Swing Music Reviewed: More Light on the History and Origin of Jazz in New Brunswick Albums of ‘Classic Swing’”, in Compton Mackenzie, Christopher Stone, editors, The Gramophone, volume XIII, number 154, London: Gramophone Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 428, column 2:He sounds like someone playing a wizard in Dungeons and Dragons and has obviously turned up the Reverb button to the max. There's a series of plinky-plonky electronic notes, then he declaims, 'I am the Cavemaster!' and I giggle before I can stop myself.
2023, Sophie Kinsella, The Burnout, London: Bantam, →ISBN, page 158:And when I do my piano practice in the parlour, the piano sounds very thin and plinky-plonky. I think it's quite old because the keys are yellow, much smaller than our Bechstein and the candle-holders are still on it.
1992, Pauline Collins, “Killarney”, in Letter to Louise, London; New York, N.Y.: BCA, →OCLC, page 82:
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(informal) Having a simple, repetitive, percussive melody.
It tends to be a social activity, so in most nûat phǎen boraan [traditional massage] places don't be surprised to hear the gossip of the day rather than plinky-plonky New Age music.
2007, China Williams [et al.], “Chiang Mai Province”, in Thailand, 12th edition, Footscray, Melbourne, Vic.: Lonely Planet Publications, →ISBN, page 292:Plinky-plonky eastern music played tinnily from a speaker annoyingly placed above our heads.
2016, Margaret B. McLean, “Full of Eastern Promise”, in Food from the Heart, […] Latimer Trend & Company, page 65:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most plinky-plonky | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more plinky-plonky | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Translations (3)
el πλίνκι-πλόνκι (making sharp, tinny sounds) · fi pimputtava (making sharp, tinny sounds) · fi pimputtava (having a simple, repetitive, percussive melody)