# 어줍잖다
## Korean
### Alternative forms

* 어쭙잖다 (eojjupjanta, prescriptive form in South Korea)

### Etymology

어줍— (eojup-, “ill-fitting”) +‎ 잖다 (-janta, inflecting stem-deriving suffix, literally “not being”).
잖다 (janta) derives from a contraction of the verbal/adjectival negation 지 않다 (ji anta, “not being”), and most verbs and adjectives using it have a sense which is opposed to the verbal stem. But there are some exceptions, such as this adjective or 우연찮다 (uyeonchanta, “to be coincidental”), which perhaps arise from originally sarcastic usage.

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [ʌ̹d͡ʑup̚t͡ɕ͈a̠ntʰa̠]
* Phonetic hangul: [어줍짠타]

### Adjective

어줍잖다 • (eojupjanta) (infinitive 어줍잖아, sequential 어줍잖으니)
* to be laughably inappropriate for one's station
    Synonyms: 분수(分數)(를) 모르다 (bunsu(reul) moreuda), 자만(自慢)하다 (jamanhada), 거만(倨慢)하다 (geomanhada)
** 2020, “백보드 파격, 당명 변경…김수민 "통합당 과거 이미지 벗겠다" [baekbodeu pagyeok, dangmyeong byeon'gyeong…gimsumin tonghapdang gwageo imiji beotgetda"]”, in Newsis News Agency‎:어줍잖게 우리들의 생각이 최선이다라고 하지 말고, 국민들과 질문을 주고 받아야 할 시기라고 생각한다.Eojupjanke urideur-ui saenggag-i choeseon-ida-rago haji malgo, gungmin-deul-gwa jilmun-eul jugo badaya hal sigi-rago saenggakhanda.We believe that this is a time when we should not arrogantly say that our ideas are best, but rather exchange questions with the people.
* to be laughably irrelevant or low-quality
    어줍잖은 대학교를 나와서 실업자 되는 거보단 주부 하는 게 차라리 낫지 않겠어?Eojupjaneun daehakgyo-reul nawaseo sireopja doeneun geobodan jubu haneun ge charari natji ankesseo?Wouldn't it be better to be a housewife than to graduate from some no-name university and become unemployed?
** 1939, 이상(李箱) (Yi Sang), “金(김)裕(유)貞(정)論(론)”, in 靑(청)色(색)紙(지)‎, number 5:내 어쭙쟌은 글이 네 분의 心(심)思(사)를 건드린다거나 읽는 이들의 嘲(조)笑(소)를 산다거나 하지나 않을가 생각을 하니 아닌게 아니라 등어리가 꽤 서늘하다.Nae eojjupjyaneun geur-i ne bun-ui simsa-reul geondeurindageona ingneun ideur-ui joso-reul sandageona hajina aneulga saenggageul hani anin'ge anira deung'eori-ga kkwae seoneulhada.When I imagine that my poor writings might irritate the four gentlemen or win the derision of readers, without exaggeration, I feel a chill down the spine.
* to behave awkwardly
    Synonyms: 어색(語塞)하다 (eosaekhada), 어설프다 (eoseolpeuda)
** 2020, 최성희 [choeseonghui], “코로나 단상: Untact 휴식 [korona dansang: Untact hyusik]”, in 오늘의 문예비평 [oneurui munyebipyeong]:그러나 실제로 한 공간에서 다른 학생들을 느끼며 교수의 어줍잖은 말투와 붉어지는 얼굴, 말실수, 그리고 무심한 듯 건네는 잔소리를 겪는 것과 인터넷으로 주로 교과 내용을 듣는 것은 이미 큰 차이를 만들고 있지 않을까?Geureona siljero han gonggan-eseo dareun haksaeng-deur-eul neukkimyeo gyosu-ui eojupjaneun maltu-wa bulgeojineun eolgul, malsilsu, geurigo musimhan deut geonneneun jansori-reul gyeongneun geot-gwa inteones-euro juro gyogwa naeyong-eul deunneun geos-eun imi keun chai-reul mandeulgo itji aneulkka?But wouldn't there already be a great difference between really feeling the other students in a single space, withstanding the professor's awkward mannerisms and faux pas and the chidings they give while feigning indifference, and listening to mostly coursework material online?

#### Usage notes

The South Korean prescriptive standard is 어쭙잖다 (eojjupjanta), but 어줍잖다 (eojupjanta) is far more common in practice among South Koreans. There is a further issue with consistency in the South Korean standard, as 어줍다 (eojupda) is standard and not 어쭙다 (eojjupda). In North Korea, 어줍잖다 (eojupjanta) is standard.

#### Conjugation
### References

* 1 2 3 최윤 [choeyun] (2017) “국어의 모순성 어휘구문의 분류 및 분석(2) [gugeoui mosunseong eohwigumunui bullyu mit bunseok(2)]”, in Han'gugeo uimihak, volume 57, pages 73—100