To keep a stiff upper lip

03:24 Apr 21, 2020

This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

English term or phrase: To keep a stiff upper lip

I would like to get a general feel for the usage of the idiom "to keep a stiff upper lip" in the United States. I don't want to ask any leading questions. Therefore, I am not providing further context. For those of you living in the U.S. or having had exposure otherwise, I would just like to ask that you give an opinion. Feel free to provide examples and/or measured conjecture, etc. It's basically an opinion poll among linguists (not sure you can earn Kudoz points on THAT). Again, this is about U.S. usage only. What has been your experience? Thanks for helping!

Annett Brown, MBA, CT KudoZ activity Questions: 4 (none open) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 28 United States
Local time: 15:27

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +8

don't show your emotions

Lydia De Jorge

Show courage in the face of pain or adversity

Danilo Ribeiro

(buckle down and) grit your teeth

Michael Martin, MA

4 -2

hang in

David Hollywood

3 -2

don't be a pansey/don't be a girl's blouse

AllegroTrans

Summary of reference entries provided

Reference: US/UK -no difference in meaning

writeaway

Discussion entries: 18

Björn Vrooman

@Annett

20:23 Apr 22, 2020

In addition to Charles' excellent find and Michael's reference, you might be interested in reading the following blog post:
https://notoneoffbritishisms.com/2019/01/16/stiff-upper-lip

It tells you a bit more about when the phrase started being thought of as British.

Best

Taña Dalglish

Jamaica

@ Charles Davis

17:33 Apr 21, 2020

Where did you disappear to? People have been seeking you out for months now, even private e-mail messages! Good to see you on the forum(s) again! Hope all is well with you and your family? Warm regards.

writeaway

@Charles

15:35 Apr 21, 2020

That's really interesting and amusing too. I didn't bother checking the etymology. But it does help explain why it's not exactly a mystery expression in English-speaking countries.

Charles Davis

Spain

Originally an American expression

15:29 Apr 21, 2020

Considering the strongly British associations of this expression nowadays, it comes as a surprise (at least it did to me) to find that it was originally an Americanism. It is mentioned in British newspapers from the 1830s, but always quoted from American sources. Several sources say it first appeared in the UK in 1844 but I don't think it became a common British idiom until much later. Indeed, John Russell Bartlett includes "to keep a stiff upper lip" in his Dictionary of Americanisms: A Glossary of Words and Phrases Usually Regarded as Peculiar to the United States in 1848, defining it as "to continue firm, unmoved".
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9sVUAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA193

Most sources (including Eric Partridge and Merriam-Webster) say it first appeared in 1815, but I can push that back four years to 1811, in the Philadelphia Gazette:
"But it was determined in caucus last Sunday evening to look big, and keep a stiff upper lip"
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uiZHAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA222

writeaway

Only used when the occasion calls for it

15:15 Apr 21, 2020

But it's a very well-known idiom in the US and other English-speaking countries. Most people know what it means.

Patrick Hubenthal

Edith

14:48 Apr 21, 2020

I don't doubt it. To clarify, I meant it's not an everyday idiom in the US.

Edith Kelly

Switzerland

Patrick

14:39 Apr 21, 2020

I can assure you that the term is still used widely. We at home used it on a regular basis. You must be from UK or Eire to use it.

Patrick Hubenthal

My experience:

12:08 Apr 21, 2020

I can actually still remember where I first encountered this expression: in a paperback Peanuts collection, in a comic strip which, thanks to the internet, I now know was from July 2, 1967: https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1967/07/02. It felt dated and vaguely British at the time I read it (sometime in the ’70s). I’d never heard the phrase before then, and I don’t believe I’ve heard anyone say it out loud in the 40+ years since. Not an everyday idiom by any means.

AllegroTrans

United Kingdom

No it doesn't mean "don't utter a word"

11:49 Apr 21, 2020

It means don't get emotional (especially regarding showing the weaker emotions)

adel almergawy

Egypt

10:27 Apr 21, 2020

does it mean ( don't utter a word/ don't whisper)?

Ramey Rieger (X)

Germany

From the ns perspective

06:44 Apr 21, 2020

This is said when someone is going through emotionally difficult times and is not very common in U.S. English. It is a phrase of encouragement and 'hang in there' is similar but not really synonymous. The difference is, as Lydia stated in her suggestion, that a 'stiff upper lip' is about not showing your vulnerability and 'hang in there' is about perseverance.

Ramey Rieger (X)

Germany

From the ns perspective

06:44 Apr 21, 2020

David Hollywood

04:00 Apr 21, 2020

no problem Annett and glad to have helped you :) keep safe

Annett Brown, MBA, CT

United States

ASKER

03:55 Apr 21, 2020

I'm afraid I should have posted this under an Eng-Eng request. Thanks, David, for making me aware of this. I don't need this in German. "Operator error" on my part! I will try to navigate myself through the portal. Again, your input is greatly appreciated.

David Hollywood

03:54 Apr 21, 2020

and in US-English I would say "hang in"

David Hollywood

03:52 Apr 21, 2020

auf Deutsch wäre es: die Ohren steif halten

David Hollywood

03:46 Apr 21, 2020

I think you need to post this as an Eng-Eng question...

David Hollywood

03:44 Apr 21, 2020

would you like this in German?

Answers

40 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -2

to keep a stiff upper lip hang in

Explanation:
I would say in your context

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 42 mins (2020-04-21 04:07:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

the way I read it is that we have to keep going and get through a difficult situation without dispairing

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2020-04-21 04:11:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

the UK interpretation is slightly different but boils down to the same thing:

the phrase is most commonly heard as part of the idiom "keep a stiff upper lip", and has traditionally been used to describe an attribute of British people in remaining resolute and unemotional when faced with adversity.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 50 mins (2020-04-21 04:15:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I lived in the US for 6 years and am quite familiar with the subtle differences between our separate usage of a common language but would like to hear if native US-American speakers are ok with "hang in" in this particular context...

David Hollywood
Local time: 17:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 116

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you for your input David. I tend to agree with you in that I rarely ever hear the idiom used by Americans except in reference to British people. And I wanted to see what other linguists think.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

JaneTranslates: I'm fine with "hang in" (I usually hear "hang in there"). I don't think I've ever heard a speaker of US English say anything about a "stiff upper lip" except with humorous intent, i.e., to imitate/mock/shout out to UK English.

2 hrs

-> thanks Jane

disagree

Ramey Rieger (X): Actually, it's hang in THERE. Simply hang in is not U.S. English.

2 hrs

-> hi Ramey and I know the standard expression is "hang in there" but "hang in" would be perfectly understood in the US

disagree

AllegroTrans: = to persevere; this is not the meaning of showing a stiff upper lip

5 hrs

-> Hi Chris and see my explanation which says just that :)

disagree

Patrick Hubenthal: I’ve heard “hang in” w/o the “there” in the US. But like AllegroTrans says (& Ramey in her discussion entry), it’s not the same as a stiff upper lip. It’s fine to show emotion when you’re “hanging in there”; the important thing is just not to give up.

7 hrs

-> hi Patrick and see my explanation

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +8

to keep a stiff upper lip don't show your emotions

Explanation:
Similar to 'poker-face' or 'never let them see you sweat'. a trembling lip is a sign of fear or weakness.

Lydia De Jorge
United States
Local time: 15:27
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Spanish,

English
PRO pts in category: 8

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you for your post, Lydia.

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): -2

to keep a stiff upper lip don't be a pansey/don't be a girl's blouse

Explanation:
Think I have heard these expressions in this context

AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:27
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 52

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you for your post, although I don't think I have ever heard an American say "don't be a girl's blouse."

9 hrs confidence:

to keep a stiff upper lip (buckle down and) grit your teeth

Explanation:
Even though this idiom may have originated in the US, it's not widely used here, but to the extent that it is, it's probably used by people with higher than average education levels. For those that use it, it may also tie in with stereotypes about 'the British' or subsets of the British people with connotations about class and British resilience in the face of adversity (the Blitz).

But all of the above is something that can be looked up and researched - there's no need to rely on our contributions to arrive at conclusions about what this idiom 'means' to Americans. Hence, the far more interesting question would be: what is a more typically American idiom for 'keeping a stiff upper lip'?

Buckle/hunker/bite down and grit your teeth

Compare with this:
"Consumers Keep a Stiff Upper Lip"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2006-07-24/consumers...

"As consumers grit their teeth with every trip to the pump, the high prices are even harder to swallow when oil companies report record profits." https://www.wral.com/news/local/story/158112/

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2020-04-21 13:01:49 GMT)
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https://wordhistories.net/2018/05/06/stiff-upper-lip/

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 16:27
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German,

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you for your thoughtful post and references. I was more or less interested in seeing how common the use of the idiom is in the U.S. (and if it is used only in reference to British people). I personally don't use the idiom. I would be much more likely to say something like "Keep your chin up."

10 hrs confidence:

Show courage in the face of pain or adversity

Explanation:
Do not give way to adversity; appear to be resolute and stoical without showing your true feelings. This term comes from America in the early 1800s and presumably refers to a trembling lip, which betrays that one is about to burst into tears. The expression actually does not make much sense, since it is usually the lower lip that trembles before weeping, but certainly any tremor of the upper lip would be particularly obvious in a man wearing a mustache, in the ubiquitous fashion of the 1830s.

Example sentence(s):

I know you're upset about losing the game, but keep a stiff upper lip.

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/keep+a+stiff+upper+lip

Danilo Ribeiro
Brazil
Local time: 17:27
Native speaker of: Portuguese

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you for your post, Danilo.

Reference comments

7 hrs peer agreement (net): +5

Reference: Reference: US/UK -no difference in meaning

Reference information:
Reference information:
Meaning of stiff upper lip in English

stiff upper lip
noun [ C usually singular ]
US /ˌstɪf ˌʌp.ɚ ˈlɪp/ UK /ˌstɪf ˌʌp.ə ˈlɪp/

Someone who has a stiff upper lip does not show their feelings when they are upset:
He was taught to keep a stiff upper lip, whatever happens.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/stiff...

Definition of stiff upper lip
: a steady and determined attitude or manner in the face of trouble
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stiff upper lip

stiff upper lip DEFINITIONS AND SYNONYMS
NOUN
SINGULAR
US

DEFINITIONS
1
a quality of remaining calm and not letting other people see what you are really feeling in a difficult or unpleasant situation
Through all these tragedies he kept a stiff upper lip.
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/s...

etc.

writeaway
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

Note to reference poster

Asker: Thank you for providing all these references. However, my main goal was less about dictionary entries, but rather to see if other linguists would agree with me in that the idiom is rarely used in the U.S. and, if so, mainly in reference to British people.

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