Talk:fun

Examples

"Derek's dinner parties are fun." - This is used as an example of "fun" being used as a noun, but wouldn't most modern English speakers interpret this sentence as using the adjective "fun"? Perhaps we should change the example to something less ambiguous (e.g., "Derek's dinner parties are good fun" perhaps?) or at least put up a note about usage overlap? -Silence 18:53, 28 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, it could equally be an adjective, since one could say "Derek's fun dinner party was held last week". Equinox ◑ 15:11, 7 July 2016 (UTC)

You're no fun anymore

"fun" is listed as an adjective here, but in "You're no fun anymore" the word is used in a way adjectives aren't normally used. I always thought this was because fun is grammatically a noun and not an adjective. Another explanation would be that "You're no fun anymore" is on the same level as "You just ain't no good". So is this second explanation correct or is fun not a real adjective (which should be mentioned in the usage notes)? (I'm not a native speaker, so I'm not sure about this.) 95.90.44.10 06:55, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

My sense is that fun here is an adjective and it is the word no that is used in an unusual way. One would expect "not fun" and "not good" (and you can say it this way with almost the same meaning), but "no fun" and "no good" are idiomatic. I think the difference between "not fun" and "no fun" (as well as "not good" and "no good") is that "not fun"/"not good" are permanent qualities, while "no fun"/"no good" is momentane. However, there are ways to use "no fun" and "no good" that imply permanent quality, but they are still slightly different from "not fun" and "not good". —Stephen ^(Talk) 07:09, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

If you scroll down, you'll see that it's also listed as a noun. Like many English words, it belongs to multiple parts of speech. (But yes, it was originally a noun, and for many speakers it has never become a full adjective.) —Ruakh_TALK 11:59, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Etymology

There is not necessarily any connection between FOND and FUN etymologically. This is possibly hybrid in its meaning with its other questionable origin from Irish fonn (“delight”)[3], from root *bha[4], whence Greek root φα[3] of φαω[7], whence Ancient Greek φαινω (phainō, “to appear”)[7], and Ancient Greek φως (phōs, “light”)[7]. Andrew H. Gray 15:03, 7 July 2016 (UTC). However, am sorry to have to state that the alternative etymology, presented in the third paragraph of the Entry page, is nonsense. Andrew (talk)

Also is there any relation and if so what to the Polish fajnie ? 85.255.235.47 20:11, 15 December 2019 (UTC)

[0] means 'Absolutely not; [1] means 'Exceedingly unlikely'; [2] means 'Very dubious'; [3] means 'Questionable'; [4] means 'Possible'; [5] means 'Probable'; [6] means 'Likely'; [7] means 'Most Likely' or *Unattested; [8] means 'Attested'; [9] means 'Obvious' - only used for close matches within the same language or dialect, at linkable periods.

cheap and flamboyant

flamboyant in style and often made of cheap synthetic materials, designed to be used or worn for fun
fun jewelry
Microsoft® Encarta® 2009

--Backinstadiums (talk) 12:35, 18 November 2019 (UTC)

in fun

Isn't in fun idiomatic enough? --Backinstadiums (talk) 16:55, 8 December 2019 (UTC)