The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
#1
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The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
Called it gallows or black humour; but has anyone else found that dark comedy/irony often doesn't go down well here?
Some friends and I have really noticed that on occasion our slightly cutting British/Irish banter can lead to at best misunderstandings and at worse awkward confrontations more frequently than you'd care for.
Don't get me wrong - it's normally not a problem (and I'm noticeably tempering it); but it seems to me people have a heightened sense of political correctness - we're not talking dead baby jokes either - just your general piss taking and wordplay.
Anyone else noticed this? How can you tell if someone's of this ilk - it's quite important because when you add alcohol to the mix.....well lets just say one sometimes has to explain themselves pretty bloody quickly!!!
Some friends and I have really noticed that on occasion our slightly cutting British/Irish banter can lead to at best misunderstandings and at worse awkward confrontations more frequently than you'd care for.
Don't get me wrong - it's normally not a problem (and I'm noticeably tempering it); but it seems to me people have a heightened sense of political correctness - we're not talking dead baby jokes either - just your general piss taking and wordplay.
Anyone else noticed this? How can you tell if someone's of this ilk - it's quite important because when you add alcohol to the mix.....well lets just say one sometimes has to explain themselves pretty bloody quickly!!!
#2
Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
Yehp tis true. Probably the most difficult part of my intergration here.
#3
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Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
Examples?
#4
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Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
I should add that in my experience it tends to be more the younger generation (20/30s) affected by (or affecting!) glass jaw syndrome. There's some who take affront to their "manliness" being teasingly poked at or the woman being extremely pc - this is in "cosmopolitan" Melbourne - perhaps that's a mitigating factor.
Comedy on television's pretty tame (its more Americanised than I thought it'd be) - and we went to a comedy night with 7-8 comedians and we all found it very genteel - Wisteria Lane come Waltons-esque fodder if you will.
Perhaps my friends and I are just doing it wrong; then again this small issue is really the only noticeable pain in the arse I've had since moving here. Basically it's less a problem; more of a curiosity!
Comedy on television's pretty tame (its more Americanised than I thought it'd be) - and we went to a comedy night with 7-8 comedians and we all found it very genteel - Wisteria Lane come Waltons-esque fodder if you will.
Perhaps my friends and I are just doing it wrong; then again this small issue is really the only noticeable pain in the arse I've had since moving here. Basically it's less a problem; more of a curiosity!
#5
Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
No. People generally 'get' me and believe me, I'm very dry, cutting, sarcy, etc - this could come as a surprise to some.
#6
Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
Called it gallows or black humour; but has anyone else found that dark comedy/irony often doesn't go down well here?
Some friends and I have really noticed that on occasion our slightly cutting British/Irish banter can lead to at best misunderstandings and at worse awkward confrontations more frequently than you'd care for.
Don't get me wrong - it's normally not a problem (and I'm noticeably tempering it); but it seems to me people have a heightened sense of political correctness - we're not talking dead baby jokes either - just your general piss taking and wordplay.
Anyone else noticed this? How can you tell if someone's of this ilk - it's quite important because when you add alcohol to the mix.....well lets just say one sometimes has to explain themselves pretty bloody quickly!!!
Some friends and I have really noticed that on occasion our slightly cutting British/Irish banter can lead to at best misunderstandings and at worse awkward confrontations more frequently than you'd care for.
Don't get me wrong - it's normally not a problem (and I'm noticeably tempering it); but it seems to me people have a heightened sense of political correctness - we're not talking dead baby jokes either - just your general piss taking and wordplay.
Anyone else noticed this? How can you tell if someone's of this ilk - it's quite important because when you add alcohol to the mix.....well lets just say one sometimes has to explain themselves pretty bloody quickly!!!
#8
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Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
British humour is fantastic, we can take the piss out of each other without being offended. American humour I just don't get, Aussie humour seems to be somewhere in the middle.
#13
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Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
#15
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Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?
In my experience, it is a fallacy to say that Australians don't do black gallows - deadpan humour - call it what you will. They do - oh yes.
My humour is very dry and deadpan - so dry I am in fact being absolutely serious after all I get to be funny all the time...whats not to like? and all Australians I know get it and appreciate it. As do Brits.
Some say I have picked up an Australian sense of humour and I put them right and say I learnt it in the UK.
I find the difference is that Australians are not very sarcastic or snappy - and nor am I.
This is where I think migrants notice the difference.