Using “Ilk” to Mean “Type” or “Kind”

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, this is Masha Harris. I’m calling from Vergennes, Vermont.

Hi, Masha.

Welcome to the show. What’s up?

My question concerns the word ilk. I’m 33 years old, so I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and my family always used the word ilk, which means kind or type. So you might say, what ilk of tree is that? Oh, it’s a maple. And as I grew older, I found that no one I knew used this word. And eventually, out of frustration, I looked it up, and the internet told me that it’s archaic and no longer in use. And so my question is twofold. First, do people really not use the word ilk? And second, if it is archaic, do you have any ideas of where my family might have picked it up? My parents are very well versed in Shakespeare, and I wondered if it was a Shakespearean word.

Yeah, that would make a lot of sense to me. I think it’s used in several Shakespeare plays. It’s definitely of that period.

Of that ilk.

Of that ilk. It’s not archaic. It’s still used, but it’s used in kind of one set of construction now where we say so-and-so and his ilk, meaning the people like him. But the older meaning of it was different.

It comes from Scott.

And in Scott’s English, you might say MacDougal of that ilk, meaning MacDougal of the place called MacDougal, kind of like eponymously, you know. So he was not only named MacDougal, but the place that he’s from is also called MacDougal. And so you’ll find that again and again in the older text, but through a misunderstanding, it came to mean of the same sort or of the same kind or of the same variety. And that’s more or less how it was used for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Until it kind of became kind of set in this one particular expression now where we use ilk, not even just to mean kinder type, but negative kinder type. Increasingly, the use of it is meaning people of bad intentions or bad will or bad behavior.

Oh, wow, because we never used it like that.

It was just a synonym for kinder type.

Yeah, the kinder type is out there. It’s just not as common anymore. Or certainly it comes up in rarefied prose where somebody who has a lot of erudition and education might throw it in there. And it’s part of a larger fabric of using the full array of English. They’re not really showing off. They’re just like, it’s just part of the way that they write. And in that context, it makes sense.

But in the everyday use that you’re talking about, it’s so interesting. I haven’t run across somebody just to say, you know, an oak tree of that ilk.

Is that how you use it?

Well, it would more be a question. What ilk of tree is that? What ilk of radio show is A Way with Words?

Oh, my goodness.

Really?

Now, I haven’t heard it that way. Definitely the way that Grant is describing. But it’s always ilk of, or you might say of what ilk, you know.

And was it just your family or was it your friends?

I think just my family. We’ve got some pretty weird turns of phrase, but we’re all word nerds. And this was one that we always used, you know, since childhood. So certainly you can find it to mean kinder type out there and writing. But like I said, it’s usually elevated writing and elevated speech and not everyday speech. But if you come from a highly educated background and your household is one filled with learning and books and science.

Future librarians.

Yeah, I’m not surprised at all to find that a word like this meaning that most people don’t know would stand out and be important to you. This makes perfect sense to me.

Great.

Well, thank you so much for your help. This is fascinating.

Yeah, we’re happy to help.

Thanks for calling. Really appreciate it.

Take care.

Bye, Masha.

Bye-bye.

Well, what’s the word that’s been bouncing around in your head? Let us know. 877-929-9673 or send us an email. That address is words@waywordradio.org. And you can also find us on Twitter at Wayword.