Tickling is a problem. It gives the outward effect of laughter but that is not often a true reflection of what a tickle victim is experiencing.

Tickling has long since been used as a way of torture. During the Han Dynasty in China, tickling was a way of torturing nobility as it left no marks and the victim could recover relatively easily and quickly. It was also popular in Japan where they even coined a special word for it: kusuguri-zeme, which means “merciless tickling”.

I was tickled last night. I didn’t like it but there was nothing I could do about it.