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The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Old Aug 13th 2011, 2:17 am
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Default 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!!!
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 2:20 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Yehp tis true. Probably the most difficult part of my intergration here.
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 2:21 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Examples?
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 2:37 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by EvannTel
Examples?
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!
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 2:52 am
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Default 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.
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:02 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by towers
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!!!
slightly cutting and sarcastic can equate to insulting to some. It is the single most irritating thing about the so called british humour to me.
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:04 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

No, not noticed anything different.
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:07 am
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Default 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.
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:11 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by northernbird
slightly cutting and sarcastic can equate to insulting to some. It is the single most irritating thing about the so called british humour to me.
we have a winner
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:12 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by towers
we have a winner
what, because I don't like to wonder when my friends are taking the piss whether they are joking or not. Real funny!
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:12 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by northernbird
slightly cutting and sarcastic can equate to insulting to some. It is the single most irritating thing about the so called british humour to me.
Ooops!
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:13 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by moneypenny20
Ooops!
You're different!
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:15 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by northernbird
what, because I don't like to wonder when my friends are taking the piss whether they are joking or not. Real funny!
Wait are you saying you don't matter? what happened to remembering "those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind"?
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:16 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by towers
Wait are you saying you don't matter? what happened to remembering "those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind"?
Speechless, unheard of!
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Old Aug 13th 2011, 3:18 am
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Default Re: The Australian sense of humour - glass-jaw syndrome?

Originally Posted by chris955
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.
Probably true.

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.
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