World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
Jul 31st 2008, 12:06 pm
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
LONDON, July 31
The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests that toilet humour was as popular with the ancients as it is today.
It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap."
It heads the world's oldest top 10 joke list published by the University of Wolverhampton on Thursday.
A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish."
The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century and reveals the bawdy face of the Anglo-Saxons -- "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."
"Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said the report's writer Dr Paul McDonald, senior lecturer at the university.
"What they all share however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion. Modern puns, Essex girl jokes and toilet humour can all be traced back to the very earliest jokes identified in this research."
The study was commissioned by television channel Dave.
LONDON, July 31
The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests that toilet humour was as popular with the ancients as it is today.
It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap."
It heads the world's oldest top 10 joke list published by the University of Wolverhampton on Thursday.
A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish."
The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century and reveals the bawdy face of the Anglo-Saxons -- "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."
"Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said the report's writer Dr Paul McDonald, senior lecturer at the university.
"What they all share however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion. Modern puns, Essex girl jokes and toilet humour can all be traced back to the very earliest jokes identified in this research."
The study was commissioned by television channel Dave.
Jul 31st 2008, 12:22 pm
#2
It's what the eye see's..
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 839
Re: World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
LONDON, July 31
The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests that toilet humour was as popular with the ancients as it is today.
It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap."
It heads the world's oldest top 10 joke list published by the University of Wolverhampton on Thursday.
A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish."
The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century and reveals the bawdy face of the Anglo-Saxons -- "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."
"Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said the report's writer Dr Paul McDonald, senior lecturer at the university.
"What they all share however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion. Modern puns, Essex girl jokes and toilet humour can all be traced back to the very earliest jokes identified in this research."
The study was commissioned by television channel Dave.
LONDON, July 31
The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests that toilet humour was as popular with the ancients as it is today.
It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap."
It heads the world's oldest top 10 joke list published by the University of Wolverhampton on Thursday.
A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish."
The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century and reveals the bawdy face of the Anglo-Saxons -- "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."
"Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said the report's writer Dr Paul McDonald, senior lecturer at the university.
"What they all share however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion. Modern puns, Essex girl jokes and toilet humour can all be traced back to the very earliest jokes identified in this research."
The study was commissioned by television channel Dave.
Hmmm.... I know someone that very soon is going to post on here "Not fair, I found that in a cave in Scotland to....
Jul 31st 2008, 12:58 pm
#3
A bubbly-jock...
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Teneriffe
Posts: 6,262
Re: World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
Can't beat 1900 BC but in Scotland, the oldest "recorded" joke is from the 9th century..according to "The Times" newspaper.
The joke concerns a conversation between the priest Johannes Scottus — John the Scot — and Charles the Bald, the King of France.
The pair were sitting at a banqueting table quaffing goblets of wine. Offended by the priest’s loutish, drunken behaviour, the monarch asked rhetorically: “What separates a Sot [drunk] from a Scot?” Quick as a flash, the priest replied: “Only a table”, implying that the king was more drunk than him.
The joke, which was passed down through the centuries, was recorded in Latin by the English historian William of Malmesbury in 1143.
Jul 31st 2008, 1:24 pm
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
LONDON, July 31
The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests that toilet humour was as popular with the ancients as it is today.
It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap."
It heads the world's oldest top 10 joke list published by the University of Wolverhampton on Thursday.
A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish."
The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century and reveals the bawdy face of the Anglo-Saxons -- "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."
"Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said the report's writer Dr Paul McDonald, senior lecturer at the university.
"What they all share however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion. Modern puns, Essex girl jokes and toilet humour can all be traced back to the very earliest jokes identified in this research."
The study was commissioned by television channel Dave.
LONDON, July 31
The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests that toilet humour was as popular with the ancients as it is today.
It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap."
It heads the world's oldest top 10 joke list published by the University of Wolverhampton on Thursday.
A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish."
The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century and reveals the bawdy face of the Anglo-Saxons -- "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."
"Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said the report's writer Dr Paul McDonald, senior lecturer at the university.
"What they all share however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion. Modern puns, Essex girl jokes and toilet humour can all be traced back to the very earliest jokes identified in this research."
The study was commissioned by television channel Dave.
.......... Wolverhampton has a university .............
Jul 31st 2008, 2:49 pm
#5
It's what the eye see's..
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 839
Re: World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
Red flag to a bull...
Can't beat 1900 BC but in Scotland, the oldest "recorded" joke is from the 9th century..according to "The Times" newspaper.
The joke concerns a conversation between the priest Johannes Scottus — John the Scot — and Charles the Bald, the King of France.
The pair were sitting at a banqueting table quaffing goblets of wine. Offended by the priest’s loutish, drunken behaviour, the monarch asked rhetorically: “What separates a Sot [drunk] from a Scot?” Quick as a flash, the priest replied: “Only a table”, implying that the king was more drunk than him.
The joke, which was passed down through the centuries, was recorded in Latin by the English historian William of Malmesbury in 1143.
Can't beat 1900 BC but in Scotland, the oldest "recorded" joke is from the 9th century..according to "The Times" newspaper.
The joke concerns a conversation between the priest Johannes Scottus — John the Scot — and Charles the Bald, the King of France.
The pair were sitting at a banqueting table quaffing goblets of wine. Offended by the priest’s loutish, drunken behaviour, the monarch asked rhetorically: “What separates a Sot [drunk] from a Scot?” Quick as a flash, the priest replied: “Only a table”, implying that the king was more drunk than him.
The joke, which was passed down through the centuries, was recorded in Latin by the English historian William of Malmesbury in 1143.
If he can sneak bones in there and then proudly state "See!!!!! We Scots where the first to have bears."
