Discussion » Questions » Paranormal » I've heard Aussies say, "Fair Dinkum". Can a Dinkum be "Unfair" and more importantly...WTF is a "Dinkum"? Do they stink?
Benedict Arnold

I've heard Aussies say, "Fair Dinkum". Can a Dinkum be "Unfair" and more importantly...WTF is a "Dinkum"? Do they stink?

Posted - March 22, 2017
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  • fair (or square or straight) dinkum
    phrase of dinkum
    AUSTRALIAN/NZinformal
    1. 1.
      used to emphasize or seek confirmation of the genuineness or truth of something.
      "it's a fair dinkum Aussie wedding"

      Urban dictionary :
      Australian slang; v, fair or true. To proclaim a fact or truth in a statement in such a manner.
      Na mate, I'l tell ya what...the guy come roun he-gain..Il give to em right..bloody fair dinkum mate!"
      March 22, 2017 2:48 PM MDT
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  • Funny you should ask ...


    This is the beginning of the story, which will emerge more strongly in the following decades, that dinkum is Chinese. Here are two recent manifestations of the story:

    (2004) Fair dinkum is derived from the Victorian gold rush days when gold had to be sold to government assayers. The Chinese (Cantonese) would say their pickings were ‘ting kum’ meaning genuine gold.3

    (2005) It is more than possible that that most dinkum word ‘dinkum’ has its origin in the Chinese ‘ding kam’, meaning ‘real gold’.4
      March 22, 2017 2:55 PM MDT
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  • PHEW!!!!!!!!!!

    Thank the lord Jesus and all that is holy that we have Aussies looming ominously in the wings 

    So, with all of that, it is possible to say that someone who is underpaid is getting "Unfair ting kum" and wait...is it possible  "Income" derives  from "ting kum", too? 
      March 22, 2017 3:00 PM MDT
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  • Lol.. And no... I haven't heard the expression used outside of films tbh ... And someone being under paid is being screwed
      March 22, 2017 3:03 PM MDT
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  • Getting screwed seems to be universal language
      March 22, 2017 3:07 PM MDT
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  • Ah, Strine, not Greek ... :)
      March 22, 2017 3:38 PM MDT
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  • Oz Girl has given you the dinkum answer. She's true blue.

    But fair drinkum has a few nuances.

    "Fair dinkum!" said in a disparaging tone can mean, Is this bloke serious? Do you expect me to believe that? Or, as my Scots friend might put it, "D'ye think I've a zipper up the back of me heed, Jimmy?"

    "Fair dinkum!" said in a tone of wonder is likely to mean, "You little ripper! That's great mate! You really did it."

    But a smelly fair dinkum? You're confused. You're thinking of a dunny which translates to British English as a khazi and American as a john. Here's an example to illustrate the usage:

    A silly old fellow from Ryde
    Fell into a dunny and died.
    Later his brother
    Fell into another,
    And they lay there interred side by side. 

    This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at March 24, 2017 8:57 AM MDT
      March 22, 2017 5:48 PM MDT
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  • Was waiting for the bloody "Roo" to answer this! LOL
      March 22, 2017 5:50 PM MDT
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  • Dunno where all those line spaces came from. Edited them out. 

    There wasn't much to say after Oz Girl's answer. She nailed it. 
      March 22, 2017 6:10 PM MDT
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