The term bunk has two distinct meanings: a “type of bed” and “nonsense”. The origin of the “type of bed” definition likely stems from the abbreviation of bunker, originally a Scottish slang term for a specific type of seat. The etymology beyond this point remains uncertain. On the other hand, the second meaning is derived from the now obsolete noun bunkum (also meaning “nonsense”), which itself is a corruption of the North Carolinian county name Buncombe! The intriguing story behind this traces back to a lively debate on the floor of the U.S. Congress in 1820, where North Carolina Representative Felix Walker delivered an incredibly lengthy and tedious speech on the Missouri Compromise. Despite calls from fellow congressmen to conclude his speech, Walker persisted, insisting that his words be quoted in local newspapers and emphasizing that it was a speech for Buncombe, not for Congress. Consequently, bunkum became synonymous with political rhetoric and subsequently, nonsense in a broader sense. Walker’s legacy was firmly established in history.
