어줍잖다

• 어쭙잖다 (eojjupjanta, prescriptive form in South Korea)

어줍— (eojup-, “ill-fitting”) +‎ 잖다 (-janta, inflecting stem-deriving suffix, literally “not being”).^[1]

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.

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

어줍잖다 • (eojupjanta) (infinitive 어줍잖아, sequential 어줍잖으니)

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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?

The South Korean prescriptive standard is 어쭙잖다 (eojjupjanta), but 어줍잖다 (eojupjanta) is far more common in practice among South Koreans.^[1] 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.^[1]