mouthings
Wordless lip formations
Mouthings are words or phrases spoken without sincerity or substance—empty rhetoric that sounds meaningful but carries no conviction: the usual mouthings about fiscal responsibility.
The term is dismissive, suggesting the speaker is going through verbal motions rather than expressing genuine thought.
Less commonly, mouthings are silent lip movements, as when someone mouths words without voicing them.
Copy of the original
- mockingScornfully imitating or ridiculing
- parrotingMechanical verbal imitation
- apingImitating closely
- copyingReproducing something exactly
mirroring · pantomime · theatrical · overdramatic · satirical · parodying · caricature
Clarity of spoken words
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
- phonemesMinimal sound distinctions
- syllablesUnits of pronunciation
- consonantsLetters that aren't vowels
British sign language
- ASLManual visual communication system
- fingerspellingLetter-by-letter hand alphabet
imitation
Copy of the original
copying · mirroring · pantomime · theatrical · overdramatic · satirical · parodying · caricature
enunciation
Clarity of spoken words
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
- phonemesMinimal sound distinctions
- syllablesUnits of pronunciation
consonants · vowels · labial · dental · bilabial
speechreading
Interpreting spoken language visually
BSL
British sign language
- ASLManual visual communication system
- fingerspellingLetter-by-letter hand alphabet
mouthingsheartfelt words
- mouthing offSpeaking rudely or disrespectfully