Meaning of "Corker"

Question

Hi all,we are searching for a nice name for a male dog. We found "Corker" as an old word, meaning sth. like "great guy."At another source I found that corker can be used ironically. Now I am not sure if this name is appropriate.Can you tell me about the use of "Corker"?Yours,Stefan

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Hi all, we are searching for a nice name for a male dog. We found "Corker" as an old word, ... ironically. Now I am not sure if this name is appropriate. Can you tell me about the use of "Corker"?[/nq]
I don't think it's heard much these days. But I would take it mean something very good. Similar to 'cracker'.

John Dean
Oxford

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Hi all, we are searching for a nice name for a male dog. We found "Corker" as an old word, ... ironically. Now I am not sure if this name is appropriate. Can you tell me about the use of "Corker"?[/nq]
"That's a corker" is a term that means "That's a good joke". Used ironically, it means the joke was not funny.
Dogs, I've been told, respond to sounds rather than words. The more distinct the sound of the name, the easier it is for the dog to recognize and respond to it. So, "Corky" would be better since it is more distinct.
Whatever name you think of picking, yell it out a few times. See if it's easy to shout out. Most of the time when you need the dog's attention you are shouting.

Usenet · Answer

}
}>Hi all,
}>
}>we are searching for a nice name for a male dog. We found }>"Corker" as an old word, meaning sth. like "great guy." }>
}>At another source I found that corker can be used ironically. }>Now I am not sure if this name is appropriate.
}>
}>Can you tell me about the use of "Corker"?
}>
} "That's a corker" is a term that means "That's a good joke". } Used ironically, it means the joke was not funny. }
} Dogs, I've been told, respond to sounds rather than words. The more } distinct the sound of the name, the easier it is for the dog to } recognize and respond to it. So, "Corky" would be better since it is } more distinct.
"Corky" is a good name for a dog.
} Whatever name you think of picking, yell it out a few times. See if } it's easy to shout out. Most of the time when you need the dog's } attention you are shouting.
Think what the neighbors will think, too. I knew a tough guy around here from Brooklyn (Fourth Largest City in America) who would have to chase around the neighborhood after his dog. "Maurice!" he'd call ((mO'ris) moREES!), until he spotted a neighbor, when he'd switch to a gruff "Here, dog! Come 'ere, dog!"
(My Uncle Maurice (and all the rest of us) used while he was alive (the rest of us still so use) to pronounce his name ('mOris) (MORRis).)

R. J. Valentine

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Hi all, we are searching for a nice name for ... appropriate. Can you tell me about the use of "Corker"?[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't think it's heard much these days. But I would take it mean something very good. Similar to 'cracker'.[/nq]
It's still very common here. Common for things likes good jokes..."That's a real corker", or sports matches, or even "I had a corker of a day". Don't think I've heard it used much to refer to a person. Googling for 'real corker' seems to indicate that's still in common use in the US too, especially for headlines, when a pun is involved.

Dylan

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1](My Uncle Maurice (and all the rest of us) used while he was alive (the rest of us still so use) to pronounce his name ('mOris) (MORRis).)[/nq]
I assume you used and use to use the
'orange' (cot) vowel in "Morris" /mAr@s/ (rhyming with 'Boris' and 'Doris' and 'Horace').
Something I didn't understand about Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas : the hapless character who had come up with the whole idear of the Lufthansa heist, the chap with the toupe who had the wigs business on Queens Boulevard, who was whacked by Jimmy Conway before he had a chance to buy some danish for his wife Belle: his name was represented (in letters) in the film as "Morrie", but this was pronounced /mOri/, as if it were spelled 'Maury'. The spelling "Morrie" looks like it's a nickname for "Morris", but that should yield a nickname /mAri/, not /mOri/. That is, "Morrie" you'd expect to rhyme with "sorry" (non-Canadian pronunciation) and not with "sorry" (Canadian pronunciation). I can see "Morrie" yielding /mOri/ if it weren't the case that the name "Morris" already existed.

Usenet · Answer

}> (My Uncle Maurice (and all the rest of us) used while he was alive (the }> rest of us still so use) to pronounce his name ('mOris) (MORRis).) }
} I assume you used and use to use the
} 'orange' (cot) vowel in "Morris" /mAr@s/ (rhyming with 'Boris' and } 'Doris' and 'Horace').
Oops, I see I was a little light on the shift key there. It should have been "('mOrIs)". And maybe the other one should have been "MOREiss".

He lived upstate all his life, except when he was in France for the Great War. He drove truck for Victoria Mills and kept the truck in the barn behind his house. His father was born in Cornwall Bridge (Litchfield County), Connecticut, and his father died there (and is buried in Falls Village).} Something I didn't understand about Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas : the } hapless character who had come up with the whole idear of the Lufthansa } heist, the chap with the toupe who had the wigs business on Queens } Boulevard, who was whacked by Jimmy Conway before he had a chance to buy } some danish for his wife Belle: his name was represented (in letters) in } the film as "Morrie", but this was pronounced /mOri/, as if it were } spelled 'Maury'.

The spelling "Morrie" looks like it's a nickname for } "Morris", but that should yield a nickname /mAri/, not /mOri/. That is, } "Morrie" you'd expect to rhyme with "sorry" (non-Canadian pronunciation) } and not with "sorry" (Canadian pronunciation). I can see "Morrie" } yielding /mOri/ if it weren't the case that the name "Morris" already } existed.
I'd expect the Canadian pronunciation for all of them. Now I'll have to watch Goodfellas a little closer.
Don't the British pronounce "Marie" the way you want to pronounce "Morrie"?

R. J. Valentine

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Hi all, we are searching for a nice name for ... appropriate. Can you tell me about the use of "Corker"?[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't think it's heard much these days. But I would take it mean something very good. Similar to 'cracker'.[/nq]
Weren't pretty girls known as 'corkers' in Berty Wooster's time?

wrmst rgrds
Robin Bignall
Hertfordshire
England

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The name "Corker" was not ment as a call name. Dogs, like the one we are talking about, get a sort of noble name; that looks nice in the pedigree and allows easier tracking the ancestors of a particular dog.
The full name is going to be
"Hubenthals Blue Corker Cooper"
Cooper being the call name.

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=corker&x=0&y=0
2) one that is excellent or remarkable

Now I really am confused about the different meanings of the word. No one talked about the insinuation that might be included in the word.
I am close to abandon this word, because even native speakers can not agree about it's meaning.
Yours,
S

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=corker&x=0&y=0 2) one that is excellent or remarkable Now I really am confused about the different meanings of ... in the word. I am close to abandon this word, because even native speakers can not agree about it's meaning.[/nq]
You've been told several times it means "a good thing." One person reported it being used ironically, but any word on earth can be used ironically like, "Oh, great!" I don't see why you feel there are disagreements as to meaning or negative insinuations.

The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang says it came from "cork" as a verb, meaning to hit hard; hence, a "corker" meant a "strong blow" from about 1835-1910. Compare words like "stunning" and "a knock-out" that which makes a strong impact or impression.

"To cork" probably comes from the earlier expression, "to draw someone's cork," to ****** someone's nose.
(However, since you are puzzled about the associations of "corker," I have to say I include this etymology for historical interest only the word doesn't make anyone think about boxing and ****** noses now, I feel certain.)

Best Donna Richoux

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Thank you Donna for your understanding.
Sometimes one has to become slightly provocative to get conclusive answers. My irritation circled around the fact, that while being a positive expression, it is also used as a sarcatic remark.

See ref. http://www.word-detective.com/112700.html

My question now was: Is this irony commonly felt for a native speaker or not? I read your answer as a no. (Although I now got a new definition 'strong blow', that was not in the discussion until now. The definition 'great guy', which I find in my dictionary was not referred to.)
Yours,
S

Meaning of "Corker"

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