Toot My Own Horn – Meaning, Origin & Usage
If you’ve ever been around someone who has just done something very impressive, you may have heard them say something like ‘I don’t like to toot my own horn, but…’.
In case you don’t know what that means, don’t worry, I’m here to explain everything. In this article, I will be covering what the phrase means and when and how it originated, before going into how and when to best use the phrase, and giving you several examples of alternative sayings and phrases that you can use in its place.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
What is the meaning of the phrase ‘toot my own horn’?
The phrase ‘toot my own horn’ means to make some fuss (or noise) about something that you have done or achieved. It could refer to anything from a job interview, a product pitch, a negotiation, an audition, or performance.
It is derived form the literal sense of creating awareness around your presence and what you have to offer or can achieve.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘toot my own horn’?
Truth be told, there is still much debate about the precise origin of the phrase ‘toot my own horn’. We do know that the phrase appeared in the United States around the year 1776 in correspondence between John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Warren, where it is written:
“I think modesty is highly overrated as a virtue — my motto is ‘Toot your own horn lest the same never be tooted.”
That said, in the United Kingdom there was once the phrases ‘blow your own horn’ and ‘blow your own trumpet’ which has the exact same meaning, but appears to date back to at least mediaeval times and the 1500s, when trumpets were used to let people know that someone important has arrived in the vicinity. As someone who is not a king or queen, who is there to announce your presence and offering if you do not do so yourself.
There’s also speculation that the phrase is derived from a Chinese saying that reads (translated) “blow (the trumpet) and beat (the drum) for yourself”.
In today’s world, having an online portfolio of your work and carrying out some digital marketing such as letting people know about it on social media platforms can be considered tooting your own horn.
How and when to use the phrase ‘toot my own horn’?
As mentioned earlier, the ‘phrase toot my own horn’ can refer to achieving anything from a job interview, a product pitch, a negotiation, an audition, a performance, and so on.
The phrase ‘toot my own horn’ can be used anytime when you want to boast or show off. People frequently use phrases like ‘I’m not normally one to toot my own horn but I was particularly impressed with the way I handled that situation.’
You may also hear phrases such as ‘tooting your own horn again, I see’ or ‘I know I shouldn’t toot my own horn but I totally nailed that audition’.
People use the phrase when they can’t help but boast about what they have achieved, but they usually act embarrassed about tooting their own horn, as though they shouldn’t boast. Boasting isn’t considered particularly British. If you want to toot your own horn, by all means do so. It’s totally up to you if you want to apologise for it or not.
What are some other ways of saying ‘toot my own horn’?
If you’d prefer not to use the phrase ‘toot my own horn’ there are several alternative words and phrases that you can use in its place. Here follows some examples for you to consider:
- I know I shouldn’t beat my own drum, but I totally nailed that competition
- I’m sorry for boasting but I have to say no one’s going to be able to top what I just did
- I know I shouldn’t boast but I’m quite impressed with how well that went
- I came to slay
Final word
So, to sum up, the phrase ‘toot my own horn’ means boasting or showing off because you have achieved something admirable or impressive. Tooting your own horn, or beating your own drum is considered to be creating awareness of your presence, your ability, or what you have to offer, however it is conveyed, whether verbally and in person or online on social media.
The precise origin of the phrase is not yet clear. We know that it’s used in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and that there have been different versions of the phrase. It may derive from mediaeval times or even ancient Chinese proverbs.
The phrase ‘toot my own’ is often said apologetically, but I would argue that it’s down to you to toot your own horn, because no one’s else is going to do it for you.
