Tongue-in-cheek
Encyclopedia
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech
to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression
typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated contempt but that is no longer common. By 1842 the phrase had acquired its contemporary meaning similar to "take what I am saying with a grain of salt
", indicating that a statement was not meant to be taken seriously. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scott in his 1828 The Fair Maid of Perth
.
, which was published in 1748, the eponymous hero is taking a coach to Bath and apprehends a highwayman
. This provokes an altercation with a less brave passenger:
A similar usage appears in 1828 in The Fair Maid of Perth
by Sir Walter Scott, "The fellow who gave this all-hail thrust his tongue in his cheek to some scapegraces like himself."
The more modern ironic
sense appears in the 1842 poem, "The Ingoldsby Legends
", in which a Frenchman inspects a watch and cries:
The ironic usage originates with the idea of suppressed mirth — biting one's tongue to prevent an outburst of laughter.
such as
Figure of speech
A figure of speech is the use of a word or words diverging from its usual meaning. It can also be a special repetition, arrangement or omission of words with literal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words in it, as in idiom, metaphor, simile,...
to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression
Facial expression
A facial expression one or more motions or positions of the muscles in the skin. These movements convey the emotional state of the individual to observers. Facial expressions are a form of nonverbal communication. They are a primary means of conveying social information among humans, but also occur...
typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated contempt but that is no longer common. By 1842 the phrase had acquired its contemporary meaning similar to "take what I am saying with a grain of salt
Grain of salt
a grain of salt, in modern English, is an idiom which means to view something with skepticism, or to not take it literally. It derives from the Latin phrase, grano salis....
", indicating that a statement was not meant to be taken seriously. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scott in his 1828 The Fair Maid of Perth
The Fair Maid of Perth
The Fair Maid of Perth is a novel by Sir Walter Scott. Inspired by the strange story of the Battle of the North Inch, it is set in Perth and other parts of Scotland around 1400....
.
History
Putting one's tongue into a cheek was formerly used to signify contempt. For example, in Tobias George Smollett's The Adventures of Roderick RandomThe Adventures of Roderick Random
The Adventures of Roderick Random is a picaresque novel by Tobias Smollett, first published in 1748. It is partially based on Smollett's experience as a naval-surgeon’s mate in the British Navy, especially during Battle of Cartagena de Indias in 1741...
, which was published in 1748, the eponymous hero is taking a coach to Bath and apprehends a highwayman
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
. This provokes an altercation with a less brave passenger:
A similar usage appears in 1828 in The Fair Maid of Perth
The Fair Maid of Perth
The Fair Maid of Perth is a novel by Sir Walter Scott. Inspired by the strange story of the Battle of the North Inch, it is set in Perth and other parts of Scotland around 1400....
by Sir Walter Scott, "The fellow who gave this all-hail thrust his tongue in his cheek to some scapegraces like himself."
The more modern ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
sense appears in the 1842 poem, "The Ingoldsby Legends
The Ingoldsby Legends
The Ingoldsby Legends is a collection of myths, legends, ghost stories and poetry written supposedly by Thomas Ingoldsby of Tappington Manor, actually a pen-name of an English clergyman named Richard Harris Barham....
", in which a Frenchman inspects a watch and cries:
-
- 'Superbe! Magnifique!'
- (with his tongue in his cheek)
The ironic usage originates with the idea of suppressed mirth — biting one's tongue to prevent an outburst of laughter.
Online
Interaction and conversation online is often done without being able to see the faces of the other parties. By using Emoticons one can convey a humorous slant to an otherwise serious statement. A smileySmiley
A smiley, smiley face, or happy face, is a stylized representation of a smiling human face, commonly occurring in popular culture. It is commonly represented as a yellow circle with two black dots representing eyes and a black arc representing the mouth...
such as
:P may be used to signal jocularity and has been called the tongue-in-cheek symbol. The expression may be denoted more graphically with forms such as :-? or:-J.