Ginnal

Meaning

A cunning trickster or con artist who survives by outsmarting and swindling others; someone smooth-talking and not to be trusted. Unlike the English 'con man', a ginnal is often described with a grudging respect for their cleverness.

Examples

• “Watch dat man deh, him a pure ginnal.”

  Watch that man there, he's a total con artist.

  'a pure' here intensifies, meaning 'nothing but' a trickster.

• “Yuh cyaan trust him, him ginnal yuh already.”

  You can't trust him, he already conned you.

  'ginnal' used here as a verb meaning to trick someone.

• “Di ginnal sell mi a fake phone.”

  The con artist sold me a fake phone.

  No copula needed; the definite article 'di' marks the noun.

Origin

Likely from Akan (Twi), possibly connected to a word for cleverness or trickery brought by enslaved West Africans; the exact source is debated.

How it's used

Common everyday slang, not vulgar. Can be an insult or a semi-admiring term depending on tone. Also functions as a verb ('to ginnal someone').