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It's funny ...... because I get it


A language teacher shares a mildly amusing comment with the class and the room erupts in a fit of laughter. ‘Wow,’ she thinks, ‘I had no idea how funny I was. I should pursue a career on the stage.’ Later, head swollen with pride and confidence in her comedic abilities, she makes another joke around friends, but it falls flat. Somehow, this teacher is not quite as funny with friends as she is in class.

It seems the more you struggle to understand a language, the funnier you perceive a joke in it to be. It doesn’t have to be a very witty joke, your garden-variety amusing comment will do. You may find yourself laughing harder than usual at jokes in the language you’re learning. When this happens, you might be thinking that you wouldn’t have laughed if the joke had been in your own language. Basically, you’re laughing simply because you understood it!

Even as an Absolute Beginner of German on the brink of becoming a Beginner (hey, each progression counts!) I can remember a few cases of this happening in the last few months. On each occasion it felt good to giggle along with the native speakers. I felt part of the action, and less of an outsider. ‘Getting’ jokes in a foreign language not only highlights the progress you’re making, but gives you a sense of belonging in a foreign place, a place you may now call home. Perhaps the more opportunities you get to laugh, the more at home you’ll feel. 

Which is why I’ve decided to laugh long and laugh hard, even if it’s just because I get it.


Words from the text
mildly amusing  a little bit funny
erupt in a fit of laughter  suddenly start laughing hard
on the stage  performing
(the joke) falls flat  nobody laughed at the joke
garden-variety  common
on the brink of  when something is just about to happen
feel at home  feel comfortable in a place

Grammar spot
Did you spot the conditional? No? Here it is:
'..you wouldn’t have laughed if the joke had been in your own language.'

Remember: this structure helps you imagine a past event in a different way.
The joke wasn’t in your language. It was in English. But if the joke had been in your language, you wouldn’t have laughed. Maybe, if the joke had been in your language, you would have smiled instead. But actually it was in English, so you laughed.

Photo by Dan Cook on Unsplash

Comments

  1. Unknown3 April 2018 at 12:29

    I have the same feeling when I get the joke which I don't think it's funny but I can understand it, but sometimes when I couldn't get the jokes I would feel a little bit upset especially I was in the class when everyone was laughing except for me��

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tracey3 April 2018 at 21:04

      I know the feeling Evanna! If everyone is laughing and talking it could be a good moment for you to ask the person beside you what the joke was. Sometimes jokes are hard to get no matter how well you understand because they’re connected to the local culture. Those are the ones I find particularly frustrating! But I think if we understand the joke some of the time we’re already doing a good job!

      Delete

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