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old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,004 |
I have known a number of Americans with absolutely delicious senses of irony. I must say that part of the impact may have been due precisely to my prejudice - that I didn't expect Americans to be able to get it, or prepetrate it. But it is absolutely brilliant when they do. I have long since given up the notion that Americans don't 'do' irony. It is simply that perhaps it is so subtle that even we Brits don't get it!
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
. I have long since given up the notion that Americans don't 'do' irony.
A nice reminder of the dangers of generalising, thanks. I'm sure you will acknowledge certain "national traits" in humour, though. For example, from what little I know of the subject, it seems that most American males find "The Three Stooges" hilarious - an unfunnier bunch I could scarcely imagine. Now that's cruel humour!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I have known a number of Americans with absolutely delicious senses of irony
How nice to know that not everyone thinks we're dull.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Ah, I have found the word that has been niggling at the back of my mind for the past hour.... English (UK) humour is always referred to as DRY here, as in "he has a dry sense of humour". French people DO NOT get it and can be quite insulted by comments that are meant to be jokes. Having been raised in a fully bilingual household, I understand both English and French humour (maybe that’s why I am always smiling), but the difference runs deep. Generally (don’t chew my head off, I said generally) English people tend to be more reserved so the humour is harder to spot for French people, who are known for their “joie de vivre” (joy of living) and exuberance. When we say something with a straight face, it’s usually time to sit down and pay attention ‘cause it’s serious. And NO, French Quebecers are not like the French from France, we do not idolize Jerry Lewis. He is relegated to the same category as the Three Stooges (and what are they about??) And who said the States are dull...we laugh at you all the time (ooooo, I'm in trouble for that one) 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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How nice to know that not everyone thinks we're dull.Dull?! How could anywhere that could give the world this - http://slate.msn.com/Features/bushisms/bushisms.asp or this http://www.xmission.com/~mwalker/DQ/quayle/qq/hall.of.fame.html ever be considered dull?  An interesting aside on the matter of differences between national preferences for humour: I heard an interview on the radio with a professor from the London School of Economics. He had done a study of jokes targetting different ethnicities/nationalities - and said that the only instance he could find where there appeared to be a vein of real hatred under the humour was in the jokes told on opposite of the Tasman about those across the water.
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
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the jokes told on opposite of the Tasman about those across the water.
ULP! WHICH water??
I didn't go to your urls, because it looks like they're both about political figures: b-o-r-i-n-g.
In fact, I looked at the second title and thought it should be the "hall of lame".
Pssst--my comment about dullness was intended to be irony.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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political figures: b-o-r-i-n-g.Then you were probably right to give them a miss, miss. But you did therefore miss this keynote speech: “I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."—Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000 
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346 |
I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefullyYes indeed; neither causes terminal indigestion in the other.
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Joined: Oct 2000
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veteran
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veteran
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s/he has a dry sense of humourWe say that too, bel, and often as a compliment! "Deadpan" is another word for it, but that doesn't quite capture the full spectrum (which is surprisingly broad). I don't think most Brits (sorry, English people) would take offense at being called reserved, though I'm certain that we're a lot less reserved than we used to be. But for some fine examples of English reserve, check out the Jane Austen (usually Merchant Ivory film) type of scenario - huge amounts of importance/passion hanging on a potential suitor using one word rather than another with almost identical meaning. I think it's all about increasing the value by prolonging the build-up. And the innuendo may be entirely appropriate! 
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old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
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Any idea what a good word would be to describe the way in which Bush seems to use the language? Neither malapropism nor spoonerism seem quite adequate. There is a sort of risible serendipity to the way he makes his words work for him - you can almost see what he's aiming for, and how he contrives, through choosing a different word, to come up with the surreal. Humptyism? Humpty-dumptyism? Logosurrealism? Any other thoughts?
cheer
the sunshine warrior
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