Understanding British humour

Understanding British humour

How do you know when a British person is joking? Or why they’re joking?

Ha ha ha... Time for a laugh girls and boys. Photo: Marc Kjerland (Flickr).

BRITISH humour is something that creates a lot of national pride but the truth is, it can be a bit of a mystery to international students.

How do you know when a British person is joking? Or why they’re joking? And why do they sometimes say funny things with a straight face?

The truth is that there’s no single ‘British humour’ - it’s as varied as our weather. But here are the categories you need to know to survive:

1. Sarcasm and irony

We Brits like sarcasm and irony as much as we like dipping biscuits into tea. Sarcasm is the use of irony to say one thing while meaning the opposite. For example saying “ At least you don’t have to worry about fixing that puncture now ” to a friend whose bike has just fallen into a pond.

2. Understatement

An understatement is very British. It’s when someone deliberately makes out that something is less significant than it is. For instance, by saying “It’s a little bit windy, isn’t it?” when there’s a raging hurricane outside is an understatement. It’s probably due to the British tendency of wanting to play things down. “ Deadpan humour ” (making a joke without smiling) is one element of understatement. Understandably, this can be very confusing!

3. Satire

Satire involves using humour to criticise people and institutions with power, like politicians. Satire is popular in the UK because taking people “down a peg or two” (humbling them when they get too arrogant) is part of our culture.

4. The absurd

Absurd humour focuses on the silly, ridiculous or surreal. Much of British comedy is about noticing the absurd things in everyday life. Like the way everyone squishes onto the train even though there is another one in just one minute. Luckily, Brits tend to see the funny side of this (usually).

5. Banter

Banter is basically a jokey conversation between friends that involves good-natured teasing. Along with crisps and quizzes, it’s a big part of pub culture in the UK. So while you’re there, make a point of socialising with some locals - that way you can perfect your bantering skills.

So there you have it - a quick rundown of what tickles our national funny bone. But the best way to understand British humour is to sit down and watch some of our TV comedy. Go on - you deserve the break from studying!

And now read some jokes!

Dead Certainty

On Tuesday, a maid asked her mistress for permission to be absent on the coming Friday. She explained that she wished to attend the funeral of her fiance. The mistress gave the required permission sympathetically.

"But you're not wearing mourning, Jenny," she remarked.

"Oh, no, ma'am," the girl replied. "You see, ma'am, he ain't dead yet. The hanging ain't till Friday."

Chocolate Chip Cookies

As the elderly man lay dying in his bed, death's agony was suddenly pushed aside as he smelled the aroma of his favorite homemade chocolate chip cookies wafting up the stairs.
Gathering his remaining strength, he lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with intense concentration, supported himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands. In labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing wide-eyed into the kitchen.

There, spread out upon newspapers on the kitchen table were literally HUNDREDS of his favorite chocolate chip cookies!

Was it heaven? Or, was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?

Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table, landing on his knees in a rumpled posture, one hand on the edge of the table. The aged and withered hand quiveringly made its way to a cookie near the edge of the table; feeling the warm soft dough actually made the pain of his bones subside for a moment. His parched lips parted; the wondrous taste of the cookie was already in his mouth; seemingly bringing him back to life.
What, then, was this sudden stinging that caused his hand to recoil?
He looked to see his wife, still holding the spatula she had just used to smack his hand.
"Stay out of those!" she said, "they're for the funeral."

Tickets, please!

Five Englishmen boarded a train just behind five Scots, who, as a group had only purchased one ticket.

Just before the conductor came through, all the Scots piled into the toilet stall at the back of the car. As the conductor passed the stall, he knocked and called "Tickets, please!" and one of the Scots slid a ticket under the door. It was punched, pushed back under the door, and when it was safe all the Scots came out and took their seats.

The Englishmen were tremendously impressed by the Scots' ingenuity. On the trip back, the five Englishmen decided to try this themselves and purchased only one ticket. They noticed that, oddly, the Scots had not purchased any tickets this time. Anyway, again, just before the conductor came through, the Scots piled into one of the toilet stalls, the Englishmen into the other.

Then one of the Scots leaned out, knocked on the Englishmen's stall and called "Ticket, Please!" When the ticket slid out under the door, he picked it up and quickly closed the door.

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