Crocodile Tears

Crocodile tears are fake tears. They are usually when someone is pretending to be sad. If someone is pretending to cry, we call that crocodile tears. I suppose the idea is that crocodiles are emotionless creatures and so would never cry.

This phrase has been around since the 14th century and is present in a lot of languages. You can find references to crocodile tears in Shakespeare's work as well. In Othello, he writes, "If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears. Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile."

So, do crocodiles actually have tears? Yes. They need tears to lubricate their eyes. In American and saltwater crocodile, the tears also help to get rid of excess salt.
The myth of crocodile tears probably comes from the fact that crocodiles cry when they eat. While it has been observed in the wild, it wasn't tested in the laboratory until 2007 when Ken Van Vliet observed caimans (close relative to crocodiles) tearing up when they ate.

So, if a crocodile cries while they eat, the thought is that they are pretending to show remorse for their victims. This was applied to humans. A person can pretend to show remorse while hurting others. Then this phrase was generalized to mean anyone that is faking emotions.

Many politicians are accused of having crocodile tears. They pretend to be sad while their actions hurt other people.

Let's end this post with something that might make you smile. Butterflies and bees have been seen drinking crocodile tears. You can find these pictures and they are really cute.

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