Dry sense of humour?
#16
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Joined: May 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 1,865
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by tony_2003
Anyone care to explain what the ***** a dry sense of humour is? Two yanks have told me I have it so far. The missus says it's a British sense of humour, which doesnt help me much.
If it helps, here is what led to the comment yesterday.
People were discussing Grace Kelly.
Americans - "yes she was a wonderful and beautiful actress"
Me (over hearing them) - "not much of a motorist though"
If it helps, here is what led to the comment yesterday.
People were discussing Grace Kelly.
Americans - "yes she was a wonderful and beautiful actress"
Me (over hearing them) - "not much of a motorist though"
#17
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,271
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by rushman
One of the greatest examples of sarcastic dry humour I've heard.
An old truck driver has just wedged his truck under a low bridge, standing there rolling a cigarette waiting for cops to arrive.
Young cop fresh out of the academy is first on the scene and asks the driver "Are you stuck"?
Driver doesn't even take his eyes from his handful of tobacco and replies "Hah, I'm delivering a *****in' bridge"!!
An old truck driver has just wedged his truck under a low bridge, standing there rolling a cigarette waiting for cops to arrive.
Young cop fresh out of the academy is first on the scene and asks the driver "Are you stuck"?
Driver doesn't even take his eyes from his handful of tobacco and replies "Hah, I'm delivering a *****in' bridge"!!
Ah now you see thats the American delivery.
A British truck driver would have said: "Good Lord officer, no. Do I look stuck? Im just having a quick smoke before offloading this bridge then I'll be on my way."
..Unless he came from Merseyside in which case he'd have said. "Eerr no. Im just looking after it for me mate. Its not mine honest.. and this aint wacky backy neither."
Last edited by Angry White Pyjamas; Oct 6th 2005 at 4:13 am.
#18
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,271
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by Celsius
How did your humor go over with the Americans?
#19
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,095
Re: Dry sense of humour?
What's weird is that my co-workers get my sense of humour better than my hubby. He's probably too busy trying to tell if I'm pissed at him though
#20
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by Pigtails
What's weird is that my co-workers get my sense of humour better than my hubby. He's probably too busy trying to tell if I'm pissed at him though
I thought you were pissed at everybody, all the time
#21
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,095
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by paddingtongreen
I thought you were pissed at everybody, all the time
Except for you!
#22
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,763
Re: Dry sense of humour?
American attempts at "dry" humour, cynicism or wit always have to be delivered with the grace of a sledgehammer to make it across to US listeners, sadly...
#23
Position - Offside
Joined: May 2005
Location: Harvest, Alabama from Newport Pagnell, Bucks/Mitcham, Surrey
Posts: 413
Re: Dry sense of humour?
I am always told I have a "British dry sense of humor". To me it's normal. Classic one that gets the "uhhh" reaction.
Sitting at the dinner table someone passes me a dish of salad and says "salad?"
I reply "yes it is".
Another recent one was while standing at the photocopier at work the girl next to me asked "can you mash the button?" To which I replied "mmmmmmmm no but I can mash potatoes".
After ten years I think my work colleagues are getting used to my "dry humor".
My husband's one liner to that frequently asked question "how did you get here?" is "by a big silver airplane".
Sitting at the dinner table someone passes me a dish of salad and says "salad?"
I reply "yes it is".
Another recent one was while standing at the photocopier at work the girl next to me asked "can you mash the button?" To which I replied "mmmmmmmm no but I can mash potatoes".
After ten years I think my work colleagues are getting used to my "dry humor".
My husband's one liner to that frequently asked question "how did you get here?" is "by a big silver airplane".
#24
Re: Dry sense of humour?
[QUOTE=Lynne]
Another recent one was while standing at the photocopier at work the girl next to me asked "can you mash the button?" To which I replied "mmmmmmmm no but I can mash potatoes".
QUOTE]
And talking of potatoes - what do you call the ones you have with your roast beef and yorkiepud...no not the roasties, the others - are they mashed potatoes, or mash potatoes? They were always mashed to us, but over here, its seems to be mash potatoes, which sounds more like an instruction ...and now I see M&S are selling Mash Potatoes in their food section - wtf??
And whats with peas in a tin - are they Canned Vegetables (which is a description of what has been doe to them) or Can Vegetables (which appears to be a question about their ability in some field)?
sorry, long day, not a lot of sleep last night, frazzled from dealing with IRS, Sales Tax people and freakin' medical insurance.......
Another recent one was while standing at the photocopier at work the girl next to me asked "can you mash the button?" To which I replied "mmmmmmmm no but I can mash potatoes".
QUOTE]
And talking of potatoes - what do you call the ones you have with your roast beef and yorkiepud...no not the roasties, the others - are they mashed potatoes, or mash potatoes? They were always mashed to us, but over here, its seems to be mash potatoes, which sounds more like an instruction ...and now I see M&S are selling Mash Potatoes in their food section - wtf??
And whats with peas in a tin - are they Canned Vegetables (which is a description of what has been doe to them) or Can Vegetables (which appears to be a question about their ability in some field)?
sorry, long day, not a lot of sleep last night, frazzled from dealing with IRS, Sales Tax people and freakin' medical insurance.......
#25
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
And talking of potatoes - what do you call the ones you have with your roast beef and yorkiepud...no not the roasties, the others - are they mashed potatoes, or mash potatoes? They were always mashed to us, but over here, its seems to be mash potatoes, which sounds more like an instruction ...and now I see M&S are selling Mash Potatoes in their food section - wtf??
And whats with peas in a tin - are they Canned Vegetables (which is a description of what has been doe to them) or Can Vegetables (which appears to be a question about their ability in some field)?
sorry, long day, not a lot of sleep last night, frazzled from dealing with IRS, Sales Tax people and freakin' medical insurance.......
And whats with peas in a tin - are they Canned Vegetables (which is a description of what has been doe to them) or Can Vegetables (which appears to be a question about their ability in some field)?
sorry, long day, not a lot of sleep last night, frazzled from dealing with IRS, Sales Tax people and freakin' medical insurance.......
Oh and also canned veg rather than can veg lol
#26
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: back in Gods own country..
Posts: 4,007
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by tony_2003
Anyone care to explain what the ***** a dry sense of humour is? Two yanks have told me I have it so far. The missus says it's a British sense of humour, which doesnt help me much.
If it helps, here is what led to the comment yesterday.
People were discussing Grace Kelly.
Americans - "yes she was a wonderful and beautiful actress"
Me (over hearing them) - "not much of a motorist though"
If it helps, here is what led to the comment yesterday.
People were discussing Grace Kelly.
Americans - "yes she was a wonderful and beautiful actress"
Me (over hearing them) - "not much of a motorist though"
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...3&postcount=13
#27
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by Celsius
How did your humor go over with the Americans?
What about when they attempt a piss take and they have to add "I'm only kidding" or "I'm just messing with ya" every single time.
I've gotten paranoid that Americans are easilly offended, so have started doing it myself after delivering a great sarcastic quip...which takes away all the fun if you ask me.
#28
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by tony_2003
Anyone care to explain what the ***** a dry sense of humour is? Two yanks have told me I have it so far. The missus says it's a British sense of humour, which doesnt help me much.
If it helps, here is what led to the comment yesterday.
People were discussing Grace Kelly.
Americans - "yes she was a wonderful and beautiful actress"
Me (over hearing them) - "not much of a motorist though"
If it helps, here is what led to the comment yesterday.
People were discussing Grace Kelly.
Americans - "yes she was a wonderful and beautiful actress"
Me (over hearing them) - "not much of a motorist though"
laugh at the darker things rather than the slap stick... my dad has a dry sense of humour and has me in stitches when he comes to visit....
#29
Re: Dry sense of humour?
Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
They were always mashed to us, but over here, its seems to be mash potatoes, which sounds more like an instruction ...
#30
Re: Dry sense of humour?
[QUOTE=Yorkieabroad]
And talking of potatoes - what do you call the ones you have with your roast beef and yorkiepud...no not the roasties, the others - are they mashed potatoes, or mash potatoes? They were always mashed to us, but over here, its seems to be mash potatoes, which sounds more like an instruction ...and now I see M&S are selling Mash Potatoes in their food section - wtf??
QUOTE]
I just call it mash.
And talking of potatoes - what do you call the ones you have with your roast beef and yorkiepud...no not the roasties, the others - are they mashed potatoes, or mash potatoes? They were always mashed to us, but over here, its seems to be mash potatoes, which sounds more like an instruction ...and now I see M&S are selling Mash Potatoes in their food section - wtf??
QUOTE]
I just call it mash.