介绍:
The British laugh at different things. Let’s have a look at what they laugh at in Britain.
They laugh at authority. To the British, the powerful and important are often figures of fun. It’s not only politicians who make them laugh but anyone whose job is to tell other people what to do and who takes himself too seriously. They laugh at their class system, too, especially those people who try to present themselves as better than they are.
They sometimes laugh when others might cry. People often say that the British are reserved and reluctant to show their feelings. However, they do have a strong sense of humor. They say “Not very pleasant” after some terrible experiences. Coupled with this is their love of understatement. They might say “It’s a bit windy today” in the middle of a typhoon, or “There’s a slight problem” when something has gone very seriously wrong.
They also laugh at themselves. A British comedian will often begin by saying, “Have you ever noticed ...?” They find humor in ordinary, everyday life, especially its negative aspects. As well as this, they find it amusing to tell jokes about things that have gone wrong for them, rather than not mentioning them in case they look stupid. Their funny stories might start with “I’m such an idiot, or I did something really stupid yesterday.”
They sometimes don’t laugh when they think things are funny. Another thing that can make it difficult to understand the “British humor” is that they don’t always laugh or even smile when they say something funny. They often “keep a serious face” or use an unsmiling expression even when they’re making a joke.
So, is the British sense of humor unique? Well, probably not. It is the combination of all these features that makes the British laugh and makes so many other people ask “Why is that funny?”
