Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Lesson 302. Today the lesson is the
difference between a straight face and poker face. Yeah. Sometimes I'll get
students ask what's the difference between these two ? Because in both cases usually
somebody's is showing a face that shows no emotion, but you know, we'll look at
the different situations in which people would probably use one instead of the
other. All right. So let's take a look at the the note here first. If we say a
straight face, a facial expression that shows no emotion, especially to hide the
desire to laugh. Yeah. That's probably the most common reason we say a straight
face because we use it in humor all the time or situation where it's supposed to
be funny but you got to hold back and just try to keep a straight face in
order to not laugh. So that's probably the number one way that we use straight
face. All right. Let's continue. The term is often used in the idiom to keep a
straight face which is done to put someone at ease. Yeah. Sometimes we might
do it to help keep somebody calm , so they won't get too nervous or they won't get
upset for some reason or sometimes used in humor to tell a joke. Again. There's
the one with the joke. All right. Let's continue. Of course, a poker face is
definitely used while playing cards , so that you don't give away your cards. Now
of course if we say you give away your cards, it means if you show too much
emotion people may be able to guess what your cards were. So if you're playing
poker and you got a good card and you pick it up and go (showing excitement ) Everybody knows that
you got a good card so they'll know that your hand is probably good or even, even
show bad cards like pick up and . oh (expressing disappoint). If they made a face like that, everybody would
pretty much have a good idea how good a hand you may or may not have. All right.
So let's continue. So of course a poker face is definitely useful playing cards,
so that you don't give away your cards. That's what we mean by that, and
especially if you plan on bluffing. All right bluffing that's when you really do
have bad cards, but you pretend you have good cards and you hope that you can
show a lot of confidence and maybe over- bet the person and the person just gives
up and you can win the hand that way. Even though you really had bad cards.
Yeah. Or it could be other situations in life where you're bluffing. Maybe you
were challenged against somebody who is stronger than you , and
you still pretend like you are tough and you can beat them. You know, hoping that
they will back down. You can be bluffing too. In that sense. You could probably be
keeping a poker face. You're using it as a again a strategy. You know, to to deal
with your enemies or or deal with whoever you're dealing with. All right.
Let's continue. All right. Here in other situations poker face is used not to
give away one's motive. It s means your reasons for doing something or the real
reason for doing something. So you want to show no expression, so you're your
competitor or your enemy cannot read your face and figure out you know
whether he has an advantage or not. All right. Let's continue. In business if
someone makes you an offer that is much better than you expected it. You should try
to keep a poker face. So again just like when you get good cards, don't look too
excited . Oh you're offering me this ? Wow ! You know, act. Keep a straight face like. Oh. Okay
you know , maybe I'll take it. huh something like that. So again, you can
keep your advantage. Okay. Let's continue. All right. A straight face is used more
for humor. We've said that a couple of times or to avoid upsetting
someone or hiding your sad feelings. Maybe you yourself. You feel sad and you
don't want other people to realize you're sad, and you might keep a straight
face for that reason. All right. Let's continue. A poker face is put on. So
poker face is often pretended. Often as a strategy like I said it's in a plan, in
competitions, in battle. Definitely for playing cards but
especially not to lose an advantage or possibly to deceive someone. Okay good.
And now we're going to give examples here that will help more. That type of
humor in which comedians keep a straight face while telling a joke is referred to
as dry humor. So here, a straight face has to do with humor, comedy we definitely
use straight face. We would not use poker face in this situation. Number two. It was
difficult to keep a straight face while we were pulling a prank on her. So maybe
you're pulling a joke or a prank or a trick on somebody and you don't want
them to realize that you're pulling the trick on them. Yet you're trying to stop
yourself from laughing. You might think it's funny already, especially if it's
working. All right. Number three. Even though I was also nervous I had to keep
a straight face so my daughter wouldn't panic. Maybe the mother was in a
situation, where she herself was nervous, but she realized if she acted too
nervous, it would mean maybe her daughter would
get really panicked and scream. And that would be worse. She'd have more to deal
with. So she tried to keep a straight face,
to hide her emotion, so that her daughter would be more calm. So in that case will
more likely again to use straight face. Number four. When playing poker, you
should always keep a poker face. Of course, this is where the phrase really
came from. That's really the origin of the phrase poker face. When, Yes. Okay when
you get either very good cards or disappointing ones. Yeah. I explained that
part already. And number five. Lady Gaga had titled one of her hit songs,
"Poker Face. " Yeah. I did try to look up and see about this, about why did she call
this song " Poker face' and she gave an explanation kind of like this. Where it's
partly dealing with her bisexuality and she said. That maybe if she is making
love with a man that you know, she might really be thinking of a woman while
she's making love with the man. And it's you know, she has to keep a poker face so
to see if the guy really you know, so that he doesn't figure out what she's
really thinking at that time. So anyway, that's what I read. That's what I said so.
So that's actually deceptive too. So again
poker face might be used with strategy, deception, keep an advantage when you're
competing. Straight face is about humor but also keeping people at ease. So that
they don't panic or or maybe even to sometimes hide if you're sad about
something and you don't want that to bother other people too. You know, I hope
you got it. I hope it's clear. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.