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An innuendo is a hint,
The term sexual innuendo has acquired a specific meaning, namely that of a "risqué"
An innuendo is a hint, insinuation
An innuendo is a wikt:hint, hint, wikt:insinuation, insinuation or wikt:intimation, intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called in ...
or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion
Allusion, or alluding, is a figure of speech that makes a reference to someone or something by name (a person, object, location, etc.) without explaining how it relates to the given context, so that the audience must realize the connection in the ...
. In the latter sense, the intention is often to insult
An insult is an expression, statement, or behavior that is often deliberately disrespectful, offensive, scornful, or derogatory towards an individual or a group.
Insults can be intentional or unintentional, and they often aim to belittle, of ...
or accuse someone in such a way that one's words, taken literally, are innocent.
According to the '' Advanced Oxford Learner's Dictionary'', an innuendo is "an indirect remark about somebody or something, usually suggesting something bad, mean or rude", such as:'' "innuendos about her private life" ''or'' "The song is full of sexual innuendo".''
Sexual innuendo
The term sexual innuendo has acquired a specific meaning, namely that of a "risqué" double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, one of which is typically obvious, and the other often conveys a message that would be too socially unacc ...
by playing on a possibly sexual interpretation of an otherwise innocent uttering. For example: "We need to go deeper" can be seen as either a request for further inquiry or allude to sexual penetration
Sexual penetration is the insertion of a body part or other object into a body orifice, such as the mouth, vagina or anus, as part of human sexual activity or sexual behavior in non-human animals.
The term is most commonly used in statute la ...
.
Defamation law
In the context of defamation law, an innuendo meaning is one which is not directly contained in the words that are illustrated, but which would be understood by those reading it based on specialized knowledge.Film, television, and other media
Comedy film scripts have used innuendo since the beginning of sound film itself. A notable example is the '' Carry On'' film series (1958–1992) in which innuendo was a staple feature, often including the title of the film itself. British sitcoms and comedy shows such as ''Are You Being Served?
''Are You Being Served?'' is a British television sitcom that was broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was created and written by David Croft (TV producer), David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. Croft also served as executive producer and television directo ...
'' and ''Round the Horne
''Round the Horne'' is a BBC Radio comedy programme starring Kenneth Horne, first transmitted in four series of weekly episodes from 1965 until 1968. The show was created by Barry Took and Marty Feldman, who wrote the first three series. The f ...
'' have also made extensive use of innuendo. Mild sexual innuendo is a staple of British pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...
.
Numerous television programs and animated films targeted at child audiences often use innuendos in an attempt to entertain adolescent/adult audiences without exceeding their network's censorship policies. For example, ''Rocko's Modern Life
''Rocko's Modern Life'' is an American Television comedy, comedy animated television series created by Joe Murray (animator), Joe Murray for Nickelodeon. The series centers on the surreal life of an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic Australian ...
'' employed numerous innuendos over its run, such as alluding to masturbation
Masturbation is a form of autoeroticism in which a person Sexual stimulation, sexually stimulates their own Sex organ, genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. Stimulation may involve the use of han ...
by naming the fictional fast food
Fast food is a type of Mass production, mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. ''Fast food'' is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheat ...
chain in the show "Chokey Chicken". Over 20 percent of the show's audience were adults as a result.
On '' The Scott Mills Show'' on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...
, listeners are asked to send in clips from radio and TV with innuendos in a humorous context, a feature known as "Innuendo Bingo". Presenters and special guests fill their mouths with water and listen to the clips, and the last person to spit the water out with laughter wins the game.
See also
* Blind item *Doublespeak
Doublespeak is language that deliberately obscures, disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. Doublespeak may take the form of euphemisms (e.g., "downsizing" for layoffs and "servicing the target" for bombing), in which case it is ...
* Euphemism
A euphemism ( ) is when an expression that could offend or imply something unpleasant is replaced with one that is agreeable or inoffensive. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the u ...
* Roman à clef
A ''roman à clef'' ( ; ; ) is a novel about real-life events that is overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people and the "key" is the relationship between the non-fiction and the fiction. This m ...
References
{{Figures of speech Comedy Rhetorical techniques Sociolinguistics Harassment and bullying