jobsworth

English

WOTD – 20 December 2021

Etymology

A compound of job +‎ -s- +‎ worth, derived from the phrase “It’s more than me job’s worth” or “... my job’s worth”^[1] as used in denial of a request by a functionary, chiefly popularized by Jeremy Taylor's 1973 song “Jobsworth”^[2] and the 1973–1994 BBC television series That’s Life! which focused on consumer affairs^[1] and gave a “Jobsworth of the Week” award to “a startling tale of going by the book”.^[3]

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɒbzwɜːθ/, /-wəθ/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɑbzˌwɝθ/
Hyphenation: jobs‧worth

Noun

jobsworth (plural jobsworths)

(chiefly UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, derogatory, informal) A minor official or worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer.
- 2000 January 10, “Your job’s worth more than you are”, in BBC News‎^[2], archived from the original on 15 February 2020:
  For many people, however, the stress of not having the correct ticket for a train or bus journey can lead to a particularly uncomfortable feeling … fear that they might encounter a jobsworth. […] Someone who has been caught out by a jobsworth, will probably accuse them of being an embittered, mean-spirited inadequate who are using their status to give themselves faux importance, justifying their actions by their twin mantras of "Rules is rules" and, inevitably, "It's more than my job's worth."
- 2007 July 16, Matt Keating, “Hug a jobsworth and spread a little happiness”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎^[3], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 5 October 2014:
  Everyone knows a jobsworth. They are in our offices: the keeper of the stationery cupboard and the grumpy security guard. They add crucial extra minutes to the daily commute: the traffic warden who stands waiting for the time to tick over, the bus driver who drives past as you sprint for the bus stop.
- 2014 April 16, “anonymous civil servant”, “The old-school jobsworths in the civil service are still not pulling their weight”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎^[4], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 21 October 2015:
  But as within the rest of the civil service, competent, bright and ambitious staff who work long hours and often juggle multiple roles co-exist with the old-school jobsworths who punch-out the instant their daily seven hours 12 minutes are up.

Translations

minor official or worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer

Chinese:
Mandarin: 小官僚 (xiǎoguānliáo), 刻板得不近人情的官員 / 刻板得不近人情的官员 (kèbǎndebújìnrénqíngdeguányuán)
Dutch: pennenlikker (nl) m
Mon: ၚုဟ်မးကမၠောန်

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 “jobsworth, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, June 2021; “jobsworth, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
^ Jeremy Taylor (lyrics and music) (1960s (date composed)) “Jobsworth”, published 1973: “Jobsworth, jobsworth, it’s more than me job’s worth / I don’t care, rain or snow, / Whatever you want, the answer’s no! / I can keep you standing for hours in the queue, / And if you don’t like it, you know what you can do!”
^ “Your job’s worth more than you are”, in BBC News‎^[1], 2000 January 10, archived from the original on 15 February 2020.