Hila’s Reviews > The Vagabond > Status Update

what the helly

i had to google it

A ninny is an old-fashioned insult meaning a fool, simpleton, or idiot.

It’s usually not a harsh insult. It often carries a tone of mild contempt, amusement, or ridicule rather than real anger. If someone says, “Don’t be such a ninny,” they’re closer to saying “Don’t be so silly” than “You’re a terrible person.”

In The Vagabond, if Renée refers to the man at the private performance as a ninny, she’s likely dismissing him as:

* foolish,
* ridiculous,
* socially absurd,
* or not worth taking seriously.

One thing to keep in mind is that Colette’s insults are often very precise. When Renée dislikes someone, she rarely attacks their morality directly. Instead, she’ll notice something ridiculous about them—their vanity, awkwardness, pretensions, or lack of intelligence. Calling someone a “ninny” fits that style: it’s less “this man is evil” and more “this man is laughably foolish.”