"Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor"

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#173420 - 02/10/08 02:35 PM "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor"
CarlAdler newbie Registered: 11/12/00 Posts: 33 Loc: Eastern North Carolina, US	Is "Wry sense of humor" the same as "Dry sense of Humor" and in any case what is it (or are they)? The first I can find nothing on topic. People generally think the second is a form of "sarcasm", but that does not seem right to me. Carl
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#173424 - 02/10/08 07:55 PM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: CarlAdler]
GallantTed enthusiast Registered: 11/07/01 Posts: 273 Loc: Ireland	Howya Carl How's yerself and alla them jung fellas keepen? Well, it's a sad state a affairs fer sure when it's left ta the likes a meself fer ta try ta answer yer cry ta the wry vs dry enigma. It's a mind boggler fer sure and I'd say meself that it might just be a matter of opinion, but as I take my lexiconography - like my sense a humour - very seriously, I'm open ta other opinions on me opinion. Ta me, a wry sense a humour is sorta quirky - perhaps a bit offa the wall; while a person with a dry sense a humour has no sense a humour at all and are no fun or they just get the most basic of joaks. A course, now I see that I've tied meself up in knots here cos I bet yer looken fer a few examples ta illustrate what I just said. Ya know, being the generous sorta bear that I am, I think I'll leave that privilige ta some other AWAD scribe. Meanwhile, I know you're fairly new here and may not realise that queries on words and meanings should really appear in the Questions and Answers about Words segmint a this forem. This segmint here is fer word play and fun only, and whereas I'm quite open minded about it, some peeple may be offended - and rightly so - at yer posten such a serious query in the wrong segmint. Be seein ya GallantTed Edited by GallantTed (02/10/08 08:09 PM)
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#173433 - 02/11/08 06:14 AM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: GallantTed]
BranShea Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/06 Posts: 5249 Loc: Netherlands, the Hague	Could this mean that 'dry 'sense of humour is about cynicism while 'wry' humour is meant to make people laugh? Dry humour a more or less witty remark to give a pinch or kick to something or someone? Edited by BranShea (02/11/08 08:51 AM)
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#173434 - 02/11/08 06:24 AM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: BranShea]
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13667	I'd say Gallant Ted is pretty close on the distinction between wry and dry humor, but, being merely a teddy bear, I can understand Ted's missing the delicate sense of dry humor. I would say that a dry humor could easily be mistaken for a lack of a sense of humor. A wry sense of humor would leave the hearer thinking 'that was pretty funny but I don't quite know why,' whereas a dry humor would be caught only somewhat later.
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#173440 - 02/11/08 09:20 AM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: Faldage]
CarlAdler newbie Registered: 11/12/00 Posts: 33 Loc: Eastern North Carolina, US	Well thanks for the help and a chance to smile. I will repost it where I should have, though I have learned a lot here from you very gentle people. Carl
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#173441 - 02/11/08 09:20 AM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: Faldage]
GallantTed enthusiast Registered: 11/07/01 Posts: 273 Loc: Ireland	Possible examples a dry joaks. All commints welcome. Tester: yer ment ta painfully go "ha, ha" on readen/hearing these cos they're so lame. If ya fall about the place laffen, then perhaps ya have a dry sense a humour. Why does a chicken lay eggs? Because if she dropped them, they'd break What do polar bears have that no other animal has? Polar bear babies. Why do baby chicks say "cheap, cheap, cheap?" Because they can't say "expensive, expensive, expensive!" A golf club walks into a local bar and asks the barman for a pint of beer. The barman refuses to serve him. "Why not," asks the golf club. "You'll be driving later," replies the bartender
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#173442 - 02/11/08 09:40 AM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: GallantTed]
tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/03/00 Posts: 10472 Loc: this too shall pass	I'm afraid that dictionaries often use 'dry' in defining 'wry'; e.g., OED2 and AHD4: Dryly or obliquely humorous; sardonic, ironic. Dryly humorous, often with a touch of irony. M-W is somewhat better: cleverly and often ironically or grimly humorous -joe (@#$% lexicographers) friday
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#173448 - 02/11/08 11:04 AM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: tsuwm]
GallantTed enthusiast Registered: 11/07/01 Posts: 273 Loc: Ireland	Howya tsuwm Ya made some good pints fer sure. However, I notice ya failed ta mention the fella what will laff at anythin when he's filled ta the brim with whiskey - he's the guy with a rye sense a humour. Be seein ya GT
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#173451 - 02/11/08 12:52 PM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: tsuwm]
BranShea Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/06 Posts: 5249 Loc: Netherlands, the Hague	Between the definitional and the practical appraoch: Googling for 'dry' jokes and for 'wry' jokes shows a distinction between 'dry', the dummy lame ones and 'wry', the more intelligent ironic and sarcastic ones.
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#173454 - 02/11/08 01:46 PM Re: "Wry and/or Dry "sense of humor" [Re: BranShea]
GallantTed enthusiast Registered: 11/07/01 Posts: 273 Loc: Ireland	Howya Bran! How is things? And would ya agree that the fella what sniggers up his sleeve has a sly sense a humour? Be seein ya GT
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