Introduction: Blow Your Own Trumpet 🎺
Meaning and Usage 📣
Blow Your Own Trumpet: To brag about one’s own accomplishments or abilities; to promote oneself.
- Origins: The term originated in Roman times and was translated into English early on.
- Historical Reference: “I will sound the trumpet of mine own merits,” wrote Abraham Fleming in 1576.
- 19th Century Status: By the mid-nineteenth century, it was already a cliché, as noted by Eric Partridge.
Synonyms:
- boasting
- self-promotion
- self-glorification
- toot your own horn
- wax lyrical about oneself
Antonyms:
- modesty
- humility
- self-effacement
Witty Anecdote 🙃
In one of W. S. Gilbert’s numerous puns, he quipped, “The fellow is blowing his own strumpet,” regarding a manager bragging about his actress-mistress. Gilbert’s clever wordplay turns an otherwise mundane self-promotion into a humorous nod to both modern marketing and personal affairs.
Related Expressions and Phrases
- Toot Your Own Horn: An American alternative with equivalent meaning.
- Sing One’s Own Praises: Praising oneself in a loud or exaggerated manner.
- Pat Oneself on the Back: Figuratively congratulate oneself.
- Toot One’s Own Flute: Another variation, slightly less common but equally amusing.
Proverbs and Quotes 🤓
“Self-praise is no recommendation.” — Proverb
“Those who have accomplished great things, and are proud of their accomplishments, can march boldly into the realm of right for they know the power of the thoughts and actions.” — Master Okawa
Literature and Cultural References 📚
Books:
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (1936) — Mastering the balance of self-promotion and humility.
- Shameless: How I Ditched the Ditched the Fear and Started Living the Life I Love by Nadia Bolz-Weber (2019) — Embracing one’s achievements.
Songs:
- “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by Kanye West — Celebrates unabashed self-promotion.
- “Confident” by Demi Lovato — Encourages taking pride in oneself.
Movies:
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) — Chronicling excessive self-promotion and its consequences.
- Jerry Maguire (1996) — Features themes of self-promotion in professional life.
Inspirational Farewell:
Take heart in your achievements and never be afraid to blow your own trumpet (or toot your own horn, if you prefer). Remember W. S. Gilbert’s wit, embrace your inner confidence like Kanye, and always strive to balance self-promotion with sincere humility.
With fond words, B. R. Bragsworth
