Pull a moue

Posted by Smokey Stover on August 29, 2009 at 17:47

In Reply to: Pull a moue posted by Baceseras on August 27, 2009 at 20:10:

: : : : : What might the origin of "pull a moue" be? I know that a moue is a grimace, but how,or why, would one pull it?

: : : : It seems to me that in British novels the characters "pull a face."

: : : In the UK we do indeed "pull a face"; in fact it's news to me that you people across the pond don't! But we don't normally "pull a moue". "Pull" in this context implies that the facial muscles are tugged sharply awry. This doesn't really describe a moue, which is a cute little pout, frequently flirtatious in intent. (Napoleon's Empress Josephine had terrible teeth and so was reluctant to smile; instead she perfected a piquant and seductive moue, for which she was celebrated.) So to my mind you don't properly "pull" a moue; you just "make" one.

: : All I can testify about is West Virginia and Kentucky. Never seen any reference to someone "pulling a face" here. I'm trying to think of the American equivalent. When we "make a face," it's more extreme. Like a little child contorting his face. And if he isn't careful, the adults caution, it might freeze like that.

: [US style for "pulling a moue" is "giving a look," usually only mentioned when objecting to it: "Don't give me that look!" Variations come easily, as in the typical 'Seinfeld' exchange: "What was that look?" "What look?" "There was a look, a definite look." "No look!" - Baceseras.]

To me, "making a moue" and "giving someone a look" are not often interchangeable. Sometimes one can talk about a look that results from "making a moue," but a "look" A moue always involves the muscles around the mouth, and has the limited range of intents listed above--that is pouting, annoyance, possibly derision. A look may involve only the eyes. and falls within a wide range of meanings. "She gave him a look" doesn't necessarily imply either a moue or a bad look, only that she looked at him. Sometimes that's enough. "He had a look on his face." It may have been only from a bad taste in his mouth, or it may have been the beginning of a cerebral hemorrhage. But you wouldn't describe it as making a moue, which is always deliberate and usually not indicative of physical pain.

Nowadays, at least, a moue is usually associated with women. The OED does give one example of a moue by a man. "1974 'J. LE CARRÉ' Tinker, Tailor xii. 103 'Why, George..it was you who arranged the deal!' With a quaint moue of professional vanity, Smiley conceded..it"

Where does the word word come from? Well, yes, from French. But according to the OED it's not obvious where the French got it It may have come from an Old Dutch word for "muscle." Or not. It may not be sheer coincidence that if you arrange your mouth to say "moo" but keep your mouth closed, it looks like a "moue" as generally conceived. In the case of Alec Guinness, doing George Smiley in the movie, I'm sure he also raised his eyebrows at the same time.
SS