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Why Is 'Tongue-in-Cheek' So Funny?

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(单词翻译)

Why Is 'Tongue-in-Cheek' So Funny?

Now, it’s time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English!

On this program, we explore the meaning and usage of everyday expressions American English.

Today, we will talk about two parts of your head: the tongue and cheek. When you put them together, you get something funny!

A tongue-in-cheek comment or observation begins seriously but ends humorously. However, behind the playfulness is truth. So, tongue-in-cheek comments often get people thinking.

Tongue-in-cheek comments are often used in critiques. They tell something truthful1, but in a light-hearted, funny way. You can sometimes get away with a lot by using tongue-in-cheek humor because the truth in it can sometimes be hard to recognize.

The American writer Mark Twain was an expert at making tongue-in-cheek comments.

Another famous humorist was Will Rogers. He was born in 1879 in what is now Oklahoma. He was part Cherokee and was known as “the cowboy philosopher.”

Rogers’ warm humor made him one of the best-loved performers of his generation. During his long career, Rogers did a little of everything. He was an actor, both in the theater and in movies. He had a weekly radio show and also wrote stories for a newspaper.

This tongue-in-cheek comment from Rogers is as meaningful today as it was when he said many years ago:

"Everything is changing in America. People are taking the comedians3 seriously and the politicians as a joke."

Now, we all know that no one can know everything. But that fact doesn’t sound very interesting, funny or witty4. Will Rogers stated that truth in his typical tongue-in-cheek way when he said, "Everybody is ignorant only on different subjects."

But how did putting your tongue in your cheek come to mean a kind of twisted, oftentimes truthful, humor?

Some websites say this expression dates back to the 18th-century England. One site says that it first meant a common facial expression used to express dislike or contempt. These days, the contempt is gone and in its place are terms like irony5. An irony is when you say the opposite of what you mean, usually to be funny.

Another website says that people may have stuck their tongue in their cheek to keep from smiling or laughing.

However, when it comes right down to it, you should not take a tongue-in-cheek comment at face value. It starts to mean one thing but then ends by meaning something completely different. That is what makes it so funny.

Tongue-in-cheek humor is often successful when it includes the speaker in a funny critique or situation.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy famously did this at a dinner celebrating 49 American Nobel Prize winners.

He said: “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House … with the possible exception of when (former President) Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

In this way, tongue-in-cheek humor can be self-deprecating. It is effective when you want to make fun of yourself a bit.

And this brings us to music.

For some reason, country & western music has a long history of producing tongue-in-cheek songs. With titles like “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,’” “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer” and “Bubba Shot the Jukebox,” it is clearly a type of music that does not mind poking6 fun at its own culture and lifestyle.

In the 1970s, Mac Davis became one of the biggest names in country music. He wrote songs for Elvis. And because he was so handsome also got into acting7. Then in 1974, he had everyone laughing with his tongue-in-cheek song making fun of his own life.

“It’s Hard to Be Humble8” became an instant hit.

“Oh Lord it's hard to be humble

When you're perfect in every way

I can't wait to look in the mirror

Cause I get better looking each day

To know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man

Oh Lord It's hard to be humble,

But I'm doing the best that I can!"

And that’s Words and Their Stories. Out of all the programs here at Voice of America, this is one of them. I’m Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

comedian2 – n. a person who performs in front of an audience and makes people laugh by telling jokes or funny stories or by acting in a way that is funny

witty – adj. funny and clever

twist – n. an unexpected or strange occurrence : something new created by changing something slightly

face value – n. Something that is taken/accepted at face value is regarded as true or genuine without being questioned or doubted

extraordinary – adj. extremely good or impressive

talent – n. a special ability that allows someone to do something well

self-deprecating – adj. meant to make yourself or the things you do seem unimportant

tractor – n. a large vehicle that has two large back wheels and two smaller front wheels and that is used to pull farm equipment

trailer – n. a vehicle that can be pulled by a truck or car and that can be parked and used as an office, vacation home, etc.

jukebox – n. a machine that plays music when money is put into it

to poke9 fun phrase to make a joke about (someone or something) usually in a friendly way

humble – adj. showing that you do not think of yourself as better than other people

instant – adj. becoming something very quickly

 

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1 truthful OmpwN     
adj.真实的,说实话的,诚实的
参考例句:
  • You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心,他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
  • I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。
2 comedian jWfyW     
n.喜剧演员;滑稽演员
参考例句:
  • The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
  • The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。
3 comedians efcac24154f4452751c4385767145187     
n.喜剧演员,丑角( comedian的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The voice was rich, lordly, Harvardish, like all the boring radio comedians'imitations. 声音浑厚、威严,俨然是哈佛出身的气派,就跟无线电里所有的滑稽演员叫人已经听腻的模仿完全一样。 来自辞典例句
  • He distracted them by joking and imitating movie and radio comedians. 他用开玩笑的方法或者模仿电影及广播中的滑稽演员来对付他们。 来自辞典例句
4 witty GMmz0     
adj.机智的,风趣的
参考例句:
  • Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。
  • He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。
5 irony P4WyZ     
n.反语,冷嘲;具有讽刺意味的事,嘲弄
参考例句:
  • She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
  • In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。
6 poking poking     
n. 刺,戳,袋 vt. 拨开,刺,戳 vi. 戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢
参考例句:
  • He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
  • He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。
7 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
8 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
9 poke 5SFz9     
n.刺,戳,袋;vt.拨开,刺,戳;vi.戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢
参考例句:
  • We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
  • Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。

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