sea lion
1
9.3
- noun
- /siː ˈlaɪən/
- NSFW
:
persona que exige pruebas de forma insistente
- Some users become sea lions, persistently asking for proof instead of contributing to the discussion meaningfully.
Examples
-
The mayoress of the sea also came, bringing with her tiny sea lion pastries, not to mention the indispensable little priests who brought with them an extremely fat, potbellied blue Bible.
Fiction book (1995) -
In online debates, he often takes the role of a sea lion, asking for sources without addressing the main points.
-
When discussing controversial topics, she adopts a sea lion strategy, requesting evidence while avoiding direct engagement.
How Aggressive
Surface Forms
Morphology
sea + lion
A B1 learner who knows 'sea' and 'lion' will naturally interpret 'sea lion' as the marine mammal; the internet sense (a tactic of persistently requesting evidence to frustrate opponents) is a cultural, figurative usage that is not derivable from the literal parts. This meaning is idiomatic and context-specific, so learners need prior exposure rather than compositional inference.
Etymology
Sea lion (internet slang) comes from a popular comic where a cartoon sea lion keeps politely popping up and asking for proof until the other person gets tired. One popular story says this image led people to call someone who endlessly 'asks for evidence' without joining the argument a sea lion.