Linguistic question

[kellinator]

Does anyone know where, when, or how the word "snarky" came about? I don't remember hearing it until just a very few years ago, and now it's everywhere. Especially if you're talking to me. ;)

I love the snark. The snark is good.

Because I can always tie something back to "Homicide: Life on the Street":

Kellerman: "You sure you want me with you?"
Bayliss: "Yeah, sure, why not?"
Kellerman: "I dunno, the last time we worked together you were kinda...snarky."
Bayliss: "Snarky?"
Kellerman: "Yeah, snarky, you know, from the ancient Greek, meaning 'butthead?'"

(hear it at http://www.schlock.net/hsounds.html)

Comments

[legolastn.livejournal.com]

According to dictionary.com:

[From dialectal snark, to nag, from snark, snork, to snore, snort, from Dutch and Low German snorken, of imitative origin.]

Why it has suddenly enjoyed widespread usage...can't say.

Cut and pasted from the OED

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Snarky appears to have first come about around 1906.


[f. snark v. + -y1.]
Irritable, short-tempered, ‘narky’.

Quotations as evidence of use:
1906 E. Nesbit Railway Children ii. 49 Don't be snarky, Peter. It isn't our fault. 1913 J. Vaizey College Girl xxiv. 326 ‘Why should you think I am “snarky”?’ ‘Because—you are! You're not a bit sociable and friendly.’ 1953 E. Coxhead Midlanders x. 247 I've known you were the soul of kindness, under that snarky way. a1974 R. Crossman Diaries (1976) II. 627 We also have to overcome something else—the stream of anti-government propaganda, smearing, snarky, derisive, which comes out of Fleet Street.

Hence "snarkily adv.; "snarkiness; "snarkish a.
1912 R. Fry Let. 16 Mar. (1972) I. 355 So sorry I seem so snarkish just now. 1960 Economist 28 May 859/2 In some of his comments on bureaucracy there is a relapse into snarkiness. 1967 Listener 20 July 91/3 Viewers' letters are not just read out. They are commented upon by Kenneth Robinson (usually rather snarkily).