Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
Jan 30th 2013, 4:03 am
#91
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
I find this topic fascinating. I am Canadian but went to live in the UK for over 10 years. When I first got there, I felt the reverse was true. The English seemed too serious, when I made self-defeating jokes, I received empathy remarks to support my pain. After several years, I started to get funnier, and I suspect, it had to do with my integration into English culture and understanding how to make others laugh. Although never fully mastering the "art" in England, what I found interesting is how I started slowly to loose my ability to make others laugh when going back to visit family in Canada. This last time was painful when I made a what I thought was a funny witty remark to my mother but it was received very badly...she was "hurt". I tried to explain it was British humour but didn't work. I have now moved to NZ...closer to British humour or Canadian...time will tell.
Has to be worth a go?
Jan 30th 2013, 4:57 am
#92
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Posts: 20,185
Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
I find this topic fascinating. I am Canadian but went to live in the UK for over 10 years. When I first got there, I felt the reverse was true. The English seemed too serious, when I made self-defeating jokes, I received empathy remarks to support my pain. After several years, I started to get funnier, and I suspect, it had to do with my integration into English culture and understanding how to make others laugh. Although never fully mastering the "art" in England, what I found interesting is how I started slowly to loose my ability to make others laugh when going back to visit family in Canada. This last time was painful when I made a what I thought was a funny witty remark to my mother but it was received very badly...she was "hurt". I tried to explain it was British humour but didn't work. I have now moved to NZ...closer to British humour or Canadian...time will tell.
Jan 30th 2013, 6:46 am
#93
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
I find this topic fascinating. I am Canadian but went to live in the UK for over 10 years. When I first got there, I felt the reverse was true. The English seemed too serious, when I made self-defeating jokes, I received empathy remarks to support my pain. After several years, I started to get funnier, and I suspect, it had to do with my integration into English culture and understanding how to make others laugh. Although never fully mastering the "art" in England, what I found interesting is how I started slowly to loose my ability to make others laugh when going back to visit family in Canada. This last time was painful when I made a what I thought was a funny witty remark to my mother but it was received very badly...she was "hurt". I tried to explain it was British humour but didn't work. I have now moved to NZ...closer to British humour or Canadian...time will tell.
For future ref, the date of the posts are on the top left.
Jan 30th 2013, 4:57 pm
#95
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Jan 30th 2013, 5:00 pm
#96
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
if anyone wants are really good laugh then check out the bad lip reading video channel on youtube.
the NHL, the inauguration and hunger games video's in particular.
the NHL, the inauguration and hunger games video's in particular.
Jan 30th 2013, 5:57 pm
#97
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
Jan 30th 2013, 6:02 pm
#98
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
Lol @ forced laughter to fit in.
If by Canadian you mean = 2nd/3rd Gen white Anglo settled types, then yes I agree this can sometimes be an issue due to either a rural insular upbringing, or being accepting of American PC cultural values.
But with new Canadians (esp East Europeans, west Africans), they can be just as hilarious as any Ricky Gervais. Chinese/Koreans are impenetrable - never quite know how they will react to a joke - either they roll about on floor laughing or they come at you with a meat cleaver.
If by Canadian you mean = 2nd/3rd Gen white Anglo settled types, then yes I agree this can sometimes be an issue due to either a rural insular upbringing, or being accepting of American PC cultural values.
But with new Canadians (esp East Europeans, west Africans), they can be just as hilarious as any Ricky Gervais. Chinese/Koreans are impenetrable - never quite know how they will react to a joke - either they roll about on floor laughing or they come at you with a meat cleaver.
Jan 30th 2013, 9:01 pm
#99
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
You have to look at this from an anthropological perspective.
Canadian sincerity is a reality, and likely a result of generations of mass immigration from people of different backgrounds/languages/cultures. As a result, there is no unifying sense of humour that you'd find in the UK. The unifying theme is probably that Canadians are used to accommodating one another and newcomers. Being sarcastic and ironic works against this national urge to be accommodating. It could be considered *gasp* politically incorrect or worse yet - rude! Also consider the accent - a UK accent to a Canadian is an accent of an authority figure. Combine the snark and the accent and it's a recipe for disaster when unexpected.
However, the Canadian sense of humour is varied, I've found (at least amongst those in Vancouver), but at a high level (especially on television) it's relatively neutral. That's just the culture - the social norms.
Saying this, there are Canadians who appreciate the British sense of humour and appreciate a more sophisticated style of humour than what you've been exposed to. They aren't watching the lowest-common-denominator shows like Corner Gas, but are downloading stand-up, and so on. You simply haven't found the right people yet, or they haven't ever been exposed to British humour. In any case, it still comes down to the local culture just being different.
Edit: Many "American" comedians are actually Canadian, and attribute their success in America to being able to act as the underdog, observing America from afar, from the outsider's perspective. That's where the Canadian sense of humour flourishes. It's a different game. It's just a different sense of humour.
Finally, I've been here a long time too. You'll get used to it.
Canadian sincerity is a reality, and likely a result of generations of mass immigration from people of different backgrounds/languages/cultures. As a result, there is no unifying sense of humour that you'd find in the UK. The unifying theme is probably that Canadians are used to accommodating one another and newcomers. Being sarcastic and ironic works against this national urge to be accommodating. It could be considered *gasp* politically incorrect or worse yet - rude! Also consider the accent - a UK accent to a Canadian is an accent of an authority figure. Combine the snark and the accent and it's a recipe for disaster when unexpected.
However, the Canadian sense of humour is varied, I've found (at least amongst those in Vancouver), but at a high level (especially on television) it's relatively neutral. That's just the culture - the social norms.
Saying this, there are Canadians who appreciate the British sense of humour and appreciate a more sophisticated style of humour than what you've been exposed to. They aren't watching the lowest-common-denominator shows like Corner Gas, but are downloading stand-up, and so on. You simply haven't found the right people yet, or they haven't ever been exposed to British humour. In any case, it still comes down to the local culture just being different.
Edit: Many "American" comedians are actually Canadian, and attribute their success in America to being able to act as the underdog, observing America from afar, from the outsider's perspective. That's where the Canadian sense of humour flourishes. It's a different game. It's just a different sense of humour.
Finally, I've been here a long time too. You'll get used to it.
I wonder how the OP is getting on with the humour given that he was only here 4 months when the thread started, and now it's almost a year.
I found the typical Canadian approach to humour was for someone to put one very droll observation out there eg. "that guy looks like he use a new coat, eh" and then everyone piles in repeating the same observation in different words with big roars of laughter after each "punch line". Doesn't do it for me.
But there are witty people too, and as has been mentioned, cultural references are key for many jokes. Canadian stand up is pretty good too.
Jan 30th 2013, 11:44 pm
#100
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
Almost a year old, but great insights, Lychee.
I wonder how the OP is getting on with the humour given that he was only here 4 months when the thread started, and now it's almost a year.
I found the typical Canadian approach to humour was for someone to put one very droll observation out there eg. "that guy looks like he use a new coat, eh" and then everyone piles in repeating the same observation in different words with big roars of laughter after each "punch line". Doesn't do it for me.
But there are witty people too, and as has been mentioned, cultural references are key for many jokes. Canadian stand up is pretty good too.
I wonder how the OP is getting on with the humour given that he was only here 4 months when the thread started, and now it's almost a year.
I found the typical Canadian approach to humour was for someone to put one very droll observation out there eg. "that guy looks like he use a new coat, eh" and then everyone piles in repeating the same observation in different words with big roars of laughter after each "punch line". Doesn't do it for me.
But there are witty people too, and as has been mentioned, cultural references are key for many jokes. Canadian stand up is pretty good too.
The common humour theme tends to be centered around farts, bums, anuses and falling over. I have found that often even what I think of as a simple gag just washes over a lot of people. For instance, the other day my neighbour and I were talking about how mild the winter is this year when he mentioned he had been on the phone to a friend who works for a vaccum cleaner manufacturer. I said that job must suck. He said it was actually a pretty good job and the guy made a good income at it. I wonder if I had simply shouted "but crack, eh!" would I have squeezed a laugh out of him.
I now find myself making jokes about anuses and incredibly basic and childish things too, just because that's the style here. But as others have said, it means when I talk to my friends back in the UK, I basically have little to no sense of humour.
I used to crack up almost every day back home with various people, friends, strangers in shops, collegues. But here I'm just a bundle of fake or exaggerated laughs and I often cringe inside as whoever is the loudest, most alpha male of the group (which is apparently extremely important here) reduces the group to tears with yet another "then he fell over on his BUTT!" comment. Or when we are shown a youtube video of some celebrity and some farting noises overdubbed into the audio. Then I will show one of my favourite funny moments from Top Gear and I get a few polite smiles, maybe a quick giggle or two on a good day.
Last edited by skytek; Jan 30th 2013 at 11:50 pm.
Jan 30th 2013, 11:50 pm
#101
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
I remember once last year during a game of taboo with my girlfriend's brother and his wife I didn't know who some hockey player was and everyone cracked up for about 2 minutes in shock that I'd never heard of him. "Man, you haven't heard of Kevin What'sHisFace? He's like one of the best hockey players in all of South East Ontario! Ahhahahahhahahaha"
Jan 30th 2013, 11:51 pm
#102
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
OP here, and I've been living here in Ontario for just over a year now. What you said about the coat joke and everyone in the group rephrasing it and cracking up with laughter for extended periods is right on the money. I've been witness to exactly that scenario. Some times the laughter goes on for a very very long time and my cheek muscles begin to hurt from faking a smile after about 3 or 4 minutes and I simple have to stop.
The common humour theme tends to be centered around farts, bums, anuses and falling over. I have found that often even what I think of as a simple gag just washes over a lot of people. For instance, the other day my neighbour and I were talking about how mild the winter is this year when he mentioned he had been on the phone to a friend who works for a vaccum cleaner manufacturer. I said that job must suck. He said it was actually a pretty good job and the guy made a good income at it. I wonder if I had simply shouted "but crack, eh!" would I have squeezed a laugh out of him.
I now find myself making jokes about anuses and incredibly basic and childish things too, just because that's the style here. But as others have said, it means when I talk to my friends back in the UK, I basically have little to no sense of humour.
I used to crack up almost every day back home with various people, friends, strangers in shops, collegues. But here I'm just a bundle of fake or exaggerated laughs and I often cringe inside as whoever is the loudest, most alpha male of the group (which is apparently extremely important here) reduces the group to tears with yet another "then he fell over on his BUTT!" comment. Or when we are shown a youtube video of some celebrity and some farting noises overdubbed into the audio. Then I will show one of my favourite funny moments from Top Gear and I get a few polite smiles, maybe a quick giggle or two on a good day.
The common humour theme tends to be centered around farts, bums, anuses and falling over. I have found that often even what I think of as a simple gag just washes over a lot of people. For instance, the other day my neighbour and I were talking about how mild the winter is this year when he mentioned he had been on the phone to a friend who works for a vaccum cleaner manufacturer. I said that job must suck. He said it was actually a pretty good job and the guy made a good income at it. I wonder if I had simply shouted "but crack, eh!" would I have squeezed a laugh out of him.
I now find myself making jokes about anuses and incredibly basic and childish things too, just because that's the style here. But as others have said, it means when I talk to my friends back in the UK, I basically have little to no sense of humour.
I used to crack up almost every day back home with various people, friends, strangers in shops, collegues. But here I'm just a bundle of fake or exaggerated laughs and I often cringe inside as whoever is the loudest, most alpha male of the group (which is apparently extremely important here) reduces the group to tears with yet another "then he fell over on his BUTT!" comment. Or when we are shown a youtube video of some celebrity and some farting noises overdubbed into the audio. Then I will show one of my favourite funny moments from Top Gear and I get a few polite smiles, maybe a quick giggle or two on a good day.
Thanks for coming back on thread, good to get your update.
Jan 30th 2013, 11:53 pm
#103
Yo
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Location: UK
Posts: 24,474
Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
Yes, this can be part of the problem at times too. It doesn't help that most of the time I haven't heard of the politician/hockey player/football player/store/tv presenter/road or town they are joking about.
I remember once last year during a game of taboo with my girlfriend's brother and his wife I didn't know who some hockey player was and everyone cracked up for about 2 minutes in shock that I'd never heard of him. "Man, you haven't heard of Kevin What'sHisFace? He's like one of the best hockey players in all of South East Ontario! Ahhahahahhahahaha"
I remember once last year during a game of taboo with my girlfriend's brother and his wife I didn't know who some hockey player was and everyone cracked up for about 2 minutes in shock that I'd never heard of him. "Man, you haven't heard of Kevin What'sHisFace? He's like one of the best hockey players in all of South East Ontario! Ahhahahahhahahaha"
Don't worry, I'm laughing at them, not with them.
Jan 30th 2013, 11:58 pm
#104
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
People laugh at my jokes, they even lolz. I laugh at theirs. Haven't heard many body functions jokes except at work where it might be expected,, it being a hospital.
Jan 31st 2013, 11:27 am
#105
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Location: A Briton, married to a Canadian, now in Fredericton.
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Re: Faking laughter to blend with Canadian humour
I feel there may be something wrong with me too bats...I haven't heard any bodily function haha's except from my son and he's 12 so it's a bit of a given. I can't say I tell 'jokes' per se, but people laugh (with me I hope and not at me!) when I tell something amusingly.