tongue-in-cheek

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"Thank God For Satan".

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.^[1] In the past, it may also have indicated contempt, but that is no longer common.^[2] 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.^[3][4][5] Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scott in his 1828 The Fair Maid of Perth.

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 Random, 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:^[6]

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:^[3]

The ironic usage originates with the idea of suppressed mirth — biting one's tongue to prevent an outburst of laughter.^[7]

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 smiley such as :P may be used to signal jocularity, and has been called the tongue-in-cheek symbol.^[8] The expression may be denoted more graphically with forms such as :-? or :-J.^[9]

See also

• Double wink
• Slang dictionary

References