We explain what it means cringethe meanings of the word in English and how it is used today on the internet. Also, what is comedy? cringe.
What does it mean cringe?
The term cringe (pronounced krinsh) is an anglicism typical of internet jargon and social networks, spaces where It is used as a synonym for “grima” or “other people's shame.”
Like many other barbarisms and Anglicisms present in the speech of Internet users, this term is not included in Spanish language dictionaries since it is considered unnecessary, as there are perfectly equivalent alternatives in Spanish. For this reason, whenever it is written in a formal context it should be done in cursive or italic letters.
In the Anglo-Saxon language, the word cringe It has different formal meanings:
- Shrinking, becoming small, whether out of fear or servility.
- Behaving in an excessively submissive and humiliating manner.
- Shrink muscles as an involuntary reaction to an unpleasant or painful stimulus.
- Displeasure.
The use of the term that is imposed on social networks has to do with this last meaning: the idea that something produces deep displeasure, shame or discomfort, especially if it is something created by third parties. For example: “That episode of the series gave me a lot cringe” or even “Jerónimo dresses too much cringe”. In other cases, the term can give rise to verbs and derived expressions, such as cringe.
Although these terms are commonly used among social media users, it is important to remember that their meaning is perfectly comparable to that of “grima”, “others' embarrassment” or “discomfort”.
See also: Hater
Comedy cringe
In the television field, especially in the United States, the term is used cringe comedy (“comedy cringe“) for those cinematographic productions that seek to produce in the viewer a double sensation of hilarity and discomfortthat is, an uncomfortable comedy or black comedy. Examples of this type of television shows are the series The Office (2005) or Curb your Enthusiasm (2000).
Hype
References
- “Cringe” in Fundéu.
- “What does “cringe” mean?” in La Nación (Argentina).
- “What is cringe?” (video) on Telefé (Argentina).
- “Cringe” in Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
