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Welding-Off-Before-End

Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

funky

English answer:

smelly AND cool/unusual

Added to glossary by Laura Tosi
Feb 16, 2018 10:32
6 yrs ago
10 viewers *
English term

funky

English Other Cooking / Culinary
All things fermented and somewhat *funky* require some initiative. There are wild yeasts involved that co-exist with plenty of other micro-organisms, including a substantial amount of acetic acid bacteria. These are essential for developing refreshingly *funky* tonics, but there can be other, less welcome, bacteria that can develop in your batch, too.

Hello everyone! Could you please help me understand the meaning of "funky" in this context?
I see that the adjective could mean
a. Having a moldy or musty smell
which makes some sense since we're talking about something fermented. However, I perceive in the term a negative nuance that in my opinion does not work well with the expression "refreshingly funky tonics" and in general with the positive descriptions and tone you will find in cooking books when talking about something you're going to drink or eat.
I was wondering if the meaning could be instead c. Unconventional or eccentric; offbeat or odd.

Anyway, could you please share your thoughts as English mothertongues so that I can understand better this term in context?
Thank you very much in advance for your help!

Best, Laura
Responses
3 +5 smelly AND cool/unusual
4 +1 unusual, original
4 bizzarri/ estrosi/ insoliti/ originali
3 +1 earthy

Discussion

Rachel Fell Feb 20, 2018:
@Gallagy: I suppose we'll have to wait and see ;-)
Yvonne Gallagher Feb 20, 2018:
@Rachel Thanks for your "agree". Yes, I think it weird that someone limits answering to paid-up members. I can certainly understand limiting it to "native" speakers (and I have done so myself in the past but I think non-natives can answer as well but just have "do not meet criteria" under their names). I guess the next thing will be a button for "plus" only members!
Rachel Fell Feb 18, 2018:
As for some reason this question is only directed at "members", I can only respond here: I don't see "funky" as having anything to do with smell here, but to do with its "unusual or original" nature, as Gallagy suggests, and "interesting" nature. Also as you suggest, "Unconventional or eccentric; offbeat or odd": some people don't like the sometimes sharp or acid taste of fermented foods.
Charles Davis Feb 17, 2018:
Restrictions As far as I can tell, not meeting the criteria specified by the asker, in terms of specialism or native language, doesn't prevent people from answering or posting comments, except in the case of Proz.com membership: if the asker directs the question to users who are members, non-members cannot answer or even post comments.

The advantages of this have always escaped me. If askers believe that non-members are inherently less expert (a very dubious proposition indeed), they have only to ignore their contributions.
Charles Davis Feb 17, 2018:
funky Funky music is called that because it's "dirty", in a positive sense. There's a line in some African-American song about how the advantage of a married lover for a woman is that "You don't have to wash no one's funky drawers but your own."
Charles Davis Feb 17, 2018:
smelly I have no doubt that in "fermented and somewhat funky", "funky" is being used in its conventional sense of "smelly": that is, with a strong smell. Strong and potentially unpleasant: that is why "somewhat funky" things require "initiative"; the strong smell of fermented things can be attractive (at least to some people), but with the wrong kind of bacteria they can just smell nasty and offputting. It's a subjective matter anyway; some people love the smell of a really ripe cheese, for example; others can't stand it. And cheese can smell really foul and taste divine (if you like it): there's a cheese called Cabrales from Asturias in Spain that is exactly like that.

But in "refreshingly funky tonics" it is clear that "funky" has no negative connotations. I understand it to mean pleasantly tangy and pungent. And I think Kristal may be right that in this second case some of the other quite different connotations of "funky" (cool or unconventional) may be present.
magdadh Feb 16, 2018:
@ Kristal Fellinger Take it as a big '''agree'' for your answer, I can't rate as I'm not a paying member of Proz but I do think it's a not-quite-ideal attempt at a play on the multiple colloquial meaning of funky.
katsy Feb 16, 2018:
@ gallagy It is a bit frustrating in so far as Asker has mentioned native English speakers, but that is the Asker's prerogative. I am not sure how the system works - sometimes I can answer questions that have restrictions and I confess I haven't stopped to see what elements prevent me totally from responding.
Yvonne Gallagher Feb 16, 2018:
On a personal note, I have been trying recently to get used to eating fermented food as the general medical opinion these days is that they are very good for the gut. But really, I don't like either the smell (yes, they do smell and one of those smells you either like or you don't!) or taste so actually worse than medicine in my opinion! I'll have to try making my own...
Yvonne Gallagher Feb 16, 2018:
Thanks katsy. Didn't realise that non-members couldn't post a comment any more if the question is posted as "members only"!
katsy Feb 16, 2018:
I see that as a non-member I can't agree with answers suggested. So This Is to Say I agree with Gallagy's answer. It allows wider interprétation - positive or négative.
Yvonne Gallagher Feb 16, 2018:
yes, agree with katsy. There are negative and positive aspects. Not everyone is going to like funky food/clothing/people or music!
katsy Feb 16, 2018:
Yes, in my opinion, it is rather the idea of unconventional, original, but, as this element needs special treatment, there may well be also the idea that it is not a usual, or immediately attractive taste/smell. So "unconventional" could work - its connotations being positive or negative.

Responses

+5
1 hr
Selected

smelly AND cool/unusual

I think the word does indeed refer to the smell, but it is being used somewhat imprecisely by the original author. In the first use of the word, it says that "funky" foods may "require some initiative" - i.e. they need some getting used to / you might have to convince yourself to try them. This seems to refer more to the smell (usually very sour).

When saying "refreshingly funky tonics," this could be a play on words that refers to both the smell and the "cool/unusual" aspect. However, I think "funky" is a bit of a poor word choice here. From personal experience, I can tell you that fermented foods are very sour / astringent / pungent, not really "funky" like a stinky cheese. Maybe some of those words might be good synonyms to consider when searching for a translation of funky.

Peer comment(s):
agree philgoddard
2 hrs
agree Tony M : Yes, i've seen 'funky' used a lot in this way, to mean a smell that isn't necessarily per se very pleasant, but that certain people might like all the same; in this sense, it doesn't have to be negative; in AE it's increasingly positive!
3 hrs
agree Sofia Gutkin : I think it's more unusual in this sense, rather than cool.
13 hrs
agree Sanghyo Lee
13 hrs
agree Charles Davis : In "somewhat funky" it means smelly and in "refreshingly funky" I think "pungent" is probably the idea,
21 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much Kristal, and a big thank you also to everyone else who answered, provided useful insight or commented. This was indeed an interesting discussion and the comments of all of you were much appreciated!"
3 mins

bizzarri/ estrosi/ insoliti/ originali

confermo

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Note added at 4 min (2018-02-16 10:36:53 GMT)
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pietanze piu' originali che hanno bisogno di estro/ iniziativa

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Note added at 18 min (2018-02-16 10:50:30 GMT)
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/www.google.ro/search?rlz=1C1GCEA_enRO768RO768&q=funky food ...

The definition of funky is something that smells bad or it is something artistic, modern, unconventional or cool. Old smelly socks are an example of something that would be described as funky. The cool, hip apartment of a young artist is an example of something that would be described as funky.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : En>EN
38 mins
Something went wrong...
+1
46 mins

unusual, original

it can mean smelly as well but here I think it has the meaning of being a bit unusual and not run-of-the-mill. Something different from the norm. And being a handmade fermentation means that no two batches will ever be exactly the same

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Note added at 50 mins (2018-02-16 11:22:28 GMT)
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https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funky
Peer comment(s):
agree Tina Vonhof (X)
4 hrs
Thank you!
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

earthy

I've seen "funky" used in a culinary context especially in reference to beer, and I take it to mean a unique, herbal, earthy taste that comes from fermentation (usually with wild yeasts). I found a couple of articles that may help you get a sense of what they mean by "funky".

If you say something "tastes funky", most likely you're saying it's started to spoil; but since they say "refreshingly funky", they're obviously going in a different direction here and using it as a positive.

Funky tastes would be the kind of flavor that people either love or hate, the taste equivalent of the smell of a basement. Sorry I can't suggest anything in Italian, but if you're looking for an Italian word I would go in the direction of reading about craft beers, especially beers made with wild yeast, and you might find something there.

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Note added at 1 hr (2018-02-16 11:38:25 GMT)
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Another idea: "tangy", depending on the context: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/sours-are-quic...
Example sentence:

Many of these beers are tart, pungent, profoundly bracing and deliciously refreshing, provided the brewing has been focused and precise. They can also be funky, which can be a welcome accent or completely over the top.

Reference:

http://www.decodingdelicious.com/beer-science-sour-funky-beers/

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/dining/review-sour-beers.html

Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
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