We all know that look: the mocking smile, the raised eyebrow, the dry tone of voice. Best exemplified by authors like David Sedaris and Fran Lebowitz, sardonicism is characterized by complexity, as we are forced to ask ourselves just how serious these people are actually being. That bridge between authenticity and performance is reflected in the word’s etymology, but the connection is more troubling than you might think.
We know it comes from the Greek sardonios, which then became sardonius in Latin and sardonique in French, but beyond that, much remains uncertain. Most believe that the Greek word is somehow in reference to the Mediterranean island Sardinia, where we also get the word “sardine.” However, it is here that linguists begin to disagree. Some believe that it refers to a poisonous plant the Greeks called sardonian, meaning “plant from Sardinia.” When eaten, the plant would cause laughter-like facial convulsions (and ultimately death). Surprisingly, this is the lighter of the two possible origins.
In the second story, we turn to another ancient Mediterranean society, Carthage, the long-time enemy of Rome. Cato the Elder was famous for ending all of his speeches in the Roman Senate with the phrase “Carthago delenda est!” (“Carthage must be destroyed!”). Carthage was once an expansive empire that colonized many nations, including parts of Spain, Italy, and, yes, Sardinia.
Now, this is where it gets quite gory. The Carthaginians were regular practitioners of human sacrifice and they implemented these rituals in all of their colonies, including Sardinia. These sacrifices were only supposed to be performed on willing volunteers, although many priests probably turned a blind eye and carried on with the proceedings, willing victims or not. The modern phrase “sardonic smile” may come from the victims’ expressions while they were sacrificed, either trying to grin bravely or simply grimacing in pain (in both cases, interpreted as happy smiles from the colonizers).
Whichever version of the story you believe, I know I won’t be able to hear the word the same way again.