joks

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *yuok-, from Proto-Indo-European *yōk-, the o-grade of *yek- (“to speak”) (whence also Sanskrit याचति (yā́cati, “to ask, to beg”) < (“to say solemnly”)). A minority opinion is that joks is a borrowing from Latin iocus, via a Germanic language. The term is attested in 17th-century dictionaries, where smiekli (“laugh”) is a synonym; these terms became semantically differentiatiated by the mid-19th century, when the meaning of smiekli was broadened. Cognates include Lithuanian juõkas (“laugh, laughter; joke, joking; jesting, fun”), Latin iocus (“joke, jest”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

joks m (1st declension)

1. joke, jest (words or behavior that amuses, causes laughter)

   asprātīgi, muļķīgi, sekli joki ― witty, stupid, shallow jokes

   stāstīt jokus ― to tell jokes

   tas tik bija joks! ― this was such a joke!

   joku stāsts ― humorous story

   joka pēc, joka dēļ ― just for fun

   humoram jāieņem liela vieta cilvēka dzīvē... bez joka, bez smiekliem nevar dzīvot! ― humor must take an important part in human life... without joke(s), without laughs one cannot live!

2. joke (words or actions not meant to be taken seriously)

   pa jokam ― jokingly, not seriously (lit. by joke)

   nav (nekāds) joks ― this is no joke

   nav joka lieta ― this is no joke

   bez jokiem ― no joke (= this is serious)

   nebaidies, tas bija tikai joks ― don't be afraid, that was only a joke

   netici viņam, tie bija tikai muļķīgi joki ― don't believe him, these were just stupid jokes

Declension

Derived terms

• jocīgs, jocīgums
• jokdaris, jokdare
• jokot, jokoties
• jokupēteris

References

Lithuanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Adjective

jóks m (feminine jokià)

1. no

Declension

Pronoun

jóks

1. no

Declension

See also

• koks
• toks