Innuendo is a subtle way of insulting or threatening someone in polite society. It varies in usage across cultures and can be used to undermine someone’s character. Sexual innuendo is a separate category and can be seen as humorous or offensive. Allusion is also a legal term used in libel suits.
Taken literally, an allusion is a statement that appears harmless, but hints at an insult or threat and is often used in polite society when direct opposition is out of the question. The insinuation is used more in some cultures than in others. Sexual innuendo is a separate category of innuendo with its own characteristics. Allusion is also a legal term used in libel and slander suits.
In polite society, innuendo can be an effective way to undermine someone’s character, insult or threaten them. For those unwilling or unable to speak up directly and approach a situation head-on, it’s a favorite way to score a point. For example, a manager of a company might say, “The president of the company has managed to make a profit for the past three years and his methods are very creative.” The implied translation would be: “Profits for this company over the past three years have been obtained through shady, if not illegal, methods.”
Sociolinguistics involves the study of the impact of culture and social beliefs on language use. Innuendo and sarcasm are often more socially acceptable than direct confrontation, and various cultures have their own distinctive ways of dealing with dispute and anger. For example, while many Northerners in the United States are known for being more straightforward and direct, Southerners are often renowned for being polite and peppering their speech with innuendo. When a Southerner says, “Bless his heart,” he really isn’t expressing empathy for an individual. What he really means is, “That person is a complete mess.”
Sexual innuendo is also known by the term double entendre, a French phrase that roughly means “double understanding.” While most innuendoes have a decidedly negative tone, sexual suggestion is often seen as just a way to make a sexual connection or inject humor into a conversation. Sexual suggestion is often amusing, although now always. A Florida high school psychology teacher was criticized when she used sexual suggestion in a quiz game, outraging many parents.
The origin of the word allusion is the Latin word innuere, which means “to nod towards”. It is a legal term that has implications in libel suits, where negative comments that damage a person’s reputation are said or printed. The legal meaning of allusion is no different from the normally accepted definition. In law, it means “an oblique suggestion” and can be used in a lawsuit to support a plaintiff’s claim.
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