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Vocabulary: laughter, humour

Dealing with HUMOUR, especially British HUMOUR is no easy task... "British Humour" is most certainly one of the most mocked concepts in the French language (and in many European  countries). The fact is that very few French people understand British Humour and appreciate it... which is a pity, isn't it? 

HUMOUR: the ability to find things funny, the way in which people see that some things are funny, or the quality of being funny.

HUMOUR is "cultural". It is linked with specific sensitivities, values, traditions, habits and of course with the language. That's why people often speak about  a "national humour" as opposed to a "universal" one:  "British humour", "Belgium humour", "Swiss humour", etc. 

This lesson isn't going to deal with humour... ( it would be a guaranteed flop... ) but simply to quote the componants of Humour ... and as ever, give you the vocabulary which will enable you to participate when humour is used and perhaps appreciate...   

                                                             A mischievous jellyfish...                 

  TAKE  CARE of the "FAUX-AMIS !" (false friends)

malice= a desire to inflict harm or suffering on another: => malicious=  malevolent, spiteful.

The different concepts at the basis of HUMOUR: 

irony= the use of  words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal or actual meaning. 

sarcasm: a bitter statement that mocks or means the opposite of what is said. 

deadpan:  a careful pretense of seriousness.

self-deprecation: belittling or undervaluing oneself ; excessively modest.

innuendo: an indirect hint, especially of an offensive or derogatory nature.

   "Do you want to talk about it?

    "It's not a problem..."

- He can't take a joke (He doesn't understand jokes)

- It's getting beyond a joke (That's not funny!)

- He's a real comedian (He likes fooling around)

- It's hilarious! (It's ever so funny!)

The ingredient to handle humour is " NOT TO TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY", to know how to use "sarcasm" and "irony", always keeping in mind that the "good taste" of your joke is very important! (not to hurt people!) 

It is also possible to use "plays on words" and "puns", using the ambiguous multiple meanings of huge numbers of words, phrasal verbs and idioms. Playing with words may be extremely exhilarating...  

The higher your English level is, the easier British humour is to understand. You may find it hard to understand... Don't worry!     You're not alone!  

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1. A three-year-old can be very jocularmischievousmaliciousI don't know and must be looked after carefully.



2. 'You must be careful with Billy. He keeps playing practical jokesfooling downspooneringI don't know on his colleagues and not everyone appreciates.'



3. Pupils keep making punsclowning abouttaking jokesI don't know on Lea's last name, which is quite irritating.Kids can be stupid.



4. 'Well Tim, if you hadn’t been mischievousfooling aroundamusingI don't know in class, you wouldn’t have been punished, would you?'



5. It may have been a good joke, but I don’t think I joke abouthave sense of humourgot the point ofget the pointI don't know it, though everyone laughed. Can you give me a hint?'



6. As he was approaching the classroom, the teacher heard an facetiousentertaininguproariousI don't know agitation, and he understood the students might be 'tough guys'. He said: 'I braced up for the confrontation and came in! Total silence...'



7. 'Come on Raul! Don’t be offended. You have to have good timemake punslearn to take jokesI don't know. Stay calm and laugh.It was a good and quite harmless one.'



8. Most of his jokes are hilarioustrickymischievousfacetiousI don't know and people can’t help roaring with laughter.



9. 'That’s where you should have laughed, Cindy! Where’s your get the jokeplayed trickssense of humourI don't know today?'



10. At the party, the clowns really laughed of itentertaineddid funI don't know the kids who had simply forgotten they were starving before the cake arrived.