Smirk vs. sneer

Marius Hancu

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Oct 29, 2009, 9:15:45 AM10/29/09

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Hello:

How do you clearly separate between a smirk and a sneer?

To me, a sneer is more aggressive, involves more facial contorting,
but I'd like to have your take.

--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

MC

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Oct 29, 2009, 9:28:22 AM10/29/09

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In article
<56d0daa5-84a5-444f...@h2g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
Marius Hancu <marius...@gmail.com> wrote:

> How do you clearly separate between a smirk and a sneer?
>
> To me, a sneer is more aggressive, involves more facial contorting,
> but I'd like to have your take.

I'd say a sneer may carry a sinister undertone of humour, but doesn't
have to, whereas a smirk always involves humour.

--

"If you can, tell me something happy."
- Marybones

Leslie Danks

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Oct 29, 2009, 9:42:15 AM10/29/09

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Marius Hancu wrote:

> Hello:
>
> How do you clearly separate between a smirk and a sneer?
>
> To me, a sneer is more aggressive, involves more facial contorting,
> but I'd like to have your take.

I would say a sneer always communicates contempt whereas a smirk is simply
a slimy grin.

--
Les (BrE)

MC

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Oct 29, 2009, 10:05:28 AM10/29/09

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In article <4ae99989$0$1558$91ce...@newsreader03.highway.telekom.at>,
Leslie Danks <leslie...@aon.at> wrote:

Excellent.

Frank ess

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Oct 29, 2009, 12:08:07 PM10/29/09

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MC wrote:
> In article
> <4ae99989$0$1558$91ce...@newsreader03.highway.telekom.at>, Leslie
> Danks <leslie...@aon.at> wrote:
>
>> Marius Hancu wrote:
>>
>>> Hello:
>>>
>>> How do you clearly separate between a smirk and a sneer?
>>>
>>> To me, a sneer is more aggressive, involves more facial
>>> contorting, but I'd like to have your take.
>>
>> I would say a sneer always communicates contempt whereas a smirk
>> is simply a slimy grin.
>
> Excellent.

Yes.

I think there is a dose of smug in smirk.

--
Frank ess

Marius Hancu

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Oct 29, 2009, 3:33:45 PM10/29/09

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On Oct 29, 12:08 pm, "Frank ess" <fr...@fshe2fs.com> wrote:
> MC wrote:

> , Leslie Danks <leslie.da...@aon.at> wrote:

> >>> How do you clearly separate between a smirk and a sneer?
>
> >>> To me, a sneer is more aggressive, involves more facial
> >>> contorting, but I'd like to have your take.
>
> >> I would say a sneer always communicates contempt whereas a smirk
> >> is simply a slimy grin.
>
> > Excellent.
>
> Yes.
>
> I think there is a dose of smug in smirk.

OK, I think I'm better calibrated now:-)

Thank you all.
Marius Hancu

Pablo

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Oct 30, 2009, 12:26:04 PM10/30/09

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And sneer can be transitive, whereas I don't believe smirk can be.
Sneering at someone is a negative gesture. A smirk is just a smirk.

--
Pablo

CDB

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Oct 31, 2009, 10:43:36 AM10/31/09

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Pablo wrote:
> El Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:42:15 +0100, Leslie Danks escribi�:

>
>> Marius Hancu wrote:
>>
>>> Hello:
>>>
>>> How do you clearly separate between a smirk and a sneer?
>>>
>>> To me, a sneer is more aggressive, involves more facial
>>> contorting, but I'd like to have your take.
>>
>> I would say a sneer always communicates contempt whereas a smirk is
>> simply a slimy grin.
>
> And sneer can be transitive, whereas I don't believe smirk can be.
> Sneering at someone is a negative gesture. A smirk is just a smirk.
>

I would say or write either one with "at". To me, a sneer conveys
contempt, a smirk proclaims superiority -- especially if that
superiority is rejected by the speaker.

Athel Cornish-Bowden

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Oct 31, 2009, 12:50:57 PM10/31/09

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In addition, a smirk is only a facial expression: you can't smirk in
writing, but you can easily sneer in writing.

--
athel

Mike Lyle

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Oct 31, 2009, 6:34:36 PM10/31/09

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A smirk may be exchanged horizontally, though. The phrase
"conspiratorial smirk" seems to suggest exclusion of a third party,
certainly; but not necessarily subordination. Indeed the smirkee may
even be neither human nor present.

--
Mike.

CDB

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Nov 1, 2009, 11:49:31 AM11/1/09

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Agreed. I may have tried to keep the posting too short. Similar ideas
did come up while I was writing: I would say that the conspiratorial
smirk comes from the perceived superiority of secret, or shared
exclusive, knowledge.

And I should have put quotation marks around the terms, or been
clearer about what I meant. Both terms are typically* used about
someone not the speaker, with critical intent. If you describe
someone as sneering, you are saying that his face is showing contempt;
if you describe him as smirking, you are saying that his face betrays
a feeling of superiority or triumph which you do not agree is well
founded or deserved.

*Pooh-bah cannot be considered typical.