Nikos Mastrakoulis Dec 17, 2005:

In my view, "unk" stands for "unqualified", shortened in a phonetic manner, which is typical for slang. This view is reinforced by the Squadbay reference to Marine Corps lingo.

Сергей Лузан (asker) Dec 16, 2005:

To: Alexander The correct full spelling is probably "unqualified workforce" :)

Сергей Лузан (asker) Dec 16, 2005:

To: all Well I still have no better explanation than danya's here. 'UNqualified worK-FORCE' is quite an established term in the field. There are 3 versions: 1) unk as a typo for 'work' (I exclude it) 2) 'unk-unks' (AE slang) meaning unexperted troubles and used here as just 'unk' (have strong doubts about it now) 3) 'unk' as shortened 'unqualified'/ '[UNqualified worK]-FORCE' (thanx, Jo) - the best so far & fits the context.
To: Kenneth here is the source. It was in the Russian textbook for economists - a set of isolated sentences on the topic (taken from random sources as far as I can suppose from experience). The term could have been used in some newspaper article. Source country - unk :) (unknown, of course).
�����-����-���� : ������ ����! � ...
... companies` purpose. 10)The company may export its surpluses. 11)Many
businesses had to cut back their unkforce. 12) The society ...
zlo.rt.mipt.ru/?read=1712013

For: 'unk' as shortened 'unqualified'
The Squadbay: Content / Marine Corps Lingo
Unk---unqualified on the rifle range. Unsat---unsatisfactory. War belt---cartridge belt used to carry equipment. The word---confirmed info. Comments ... ...
www.thesquadbay.com/content.php?content.37
JustOneMinute: NewsMax - Right, Wrong, And Missing The Point
The date is also obvious: Bush's physical is good until the last day of his birth month (July), so on 1 August he goes "unk" (unqualified) and should be ...
justoneminute.typepad.com/ main/2004/09/newsmax_right_w.html etc

Ken Cox Dec 16, 2005:

Jo may be onto something. If he's right, the term should never be used in anything more formal than an e-mail.

Jo Macdonald Dec 16, 2005:

Maybe it�s Yuppie code for J-Force (worthless UNqualified worK-FORCE they�re going to Junk) ergo J-Force or J-unkforce. Loadsa hits on Goggle. They�re pretending it�s something else of course. ;-)

Ken Cox Dec 16, 2005:

Suggestion & commment: 1) Provide the original source context, including the source country, so potential answerers can better judge whether it is (more or less) native English, a typo, or whatever. 2) 'unk-jay' isn't slang, it's Pig Latin for 'junk'.

Terence Ajbro Dec 16, 2005:

Ask yourself how many companies actually have unqualified workforce. You don't cut back unqualified workforce, you just don't hire them to begin with! So workforce can only be right here.

Сергей Лузан (asker) Dec 16, 2005:

To: all http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&as_qdr=all&q...

Terence Ajbro Dec 16, 2005:

So where's the word "unkforce" here?

Сергей Лузан (asker) Dec 16, 2005:

To: ALL I've never encountered it before now either. But what do you say about the following reference?
News Letter - Putting New Life Into A City
... "The bad news is, however, that there is not enough innovation. "It has the highest proportion of unqualified workforce in the UK and it is very cut off, in ...
www.newsletter.co.uk/story/10906/1/

Terence Ajbro Dec 16, 2005:

As far as I know there is no such word as "unkforce". At least not in dictionaries or google-searching.

Сергей Лузан (asker) Dec 16, 2005:

To: ALL There came a suggestion "unqualified workforce" in RUS-ENG pair. "unk" is the thing, that really concerns me, not 'work(-)force'

Сергей Лузан (asker) Dec 16, 2005:

To: ALL My best guess was unk(work(-)force) surely, in the given context it could mean nothing but 'work(-)force' but the latter with 'unk' used in attributive meaning. The talk is probably about redundant 'workforce' for some kind of contigencies & emergencies. Hard times come - and they are fired. I'll wait for opninions by US-economics/ labor-relations experts, perhaps they would provide us with a clue

Terence Ajbro Dec 16, 2005:

Given the context here, it cannot be anything else.

Сергей Лузан (asker) Dec 16, 2005:

Terence Ajbro, lamiro Dear Terence, the term 'unk-unks' does exist, there's also a US slangy term ' unk-jay'. How can you confirm your statement? :)