|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Svetlana
Joined: 22 Jan 2007
|
 Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:12 pm Post subject: Re: Do Americans do irony? |
 |
|
| Quote: |
Do Americans do irony?
|
They are neither smart or cultured enough for it. If it does not involve explosions or blonde bimbos with fake breasts, it is above the American intellect. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
oskinny1
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Svetlana wrote: |
They are neither smart or cultured enough for it. If it does not involve explosions or blonde bimbos with fake *beep*, it is above the American intellect. |
I guess if more American mothers pimped their children out at the age of 13 to be a "model"(like you said yours did) then many Americans would would have a grasp of irony. Last time i checked the Anna N. Smith was still on the front page of BBCnews.com. Reading from your other posts you seem to have quite a bit of hatred for her. Why is someone as worldly and cultured as yourself so hateful all the time? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SPINOZA
Joined: 10 Jun 2005
Location: $eoul
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| The thing I've noticed about British humor in Korea is that it is centered on making jokes about the French and Germans. At home this is called bigotry, but in Korea, the Brits that I know call it wit. |
The implication here that the United States is some kind of champion of political correctness and anti-bigotry would appear to suggest Yataboy has no conception of irony.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I think Simon Pegg makes an important point about the Brits' need to mask sentiment. I used to be terrified of British humour face-to-face because they do say terrible things to each other. Now that I understand that they convey true disdain or hated by saying either bland, nice things or nothing at all, I cheerfully endure the affectionate abuse. Mostly. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| The thing I've noticed about British humor in Korea is that it is centered on making jokes about the French and Germans. At home this is called bigotry, but in Korea, the Brits that I know call it wit. |
I've never heard my British friends in Korea making fun of the French and Germans. However, I heard many yanks around Itaewon making lame jokes about the French during that great 'Freedom Fries' epoch of which you can be so proud. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
superacidjax
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ChopChaeJoe wrote: |
I'm American, well Texan anyways.
The best irony is the highest humor, whether it be Chaucer, Twain, Burroughs, Leyner, to tale some literary examples.
(and yes Chaucer is a Brit, but all educated Amricans read and enjoy him at some point. ) |
I'm Texan too and I'm perfect. lol.. Don't forget Hemingway. Most people don't read Hemingway looking for humor, but his wit and irony was scathing and razor sharp. Especially in his short stories. And of course Henry Miller.. a great example of sly American wit in a european context (Tropic of Cancer.) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
EFLtrainer
Joined: 04 May 2005
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
This a beautiful thread full of scintillating discussion of the poor education and low intelligence suffered and exhibited by us Americans. Hell no, we don't get irony!! I looked up the definition just to be sure I could participate in this thread, given my poor private Uni education and low IQ. Besides, the one time I *did* do irony, I got the clap and cheer from my students.
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
venus
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Location: Near Seoul
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I think Simon Pegg makes an important point about the Brits' need to mask sentiment. I used to be terrified of British humour face-to-face because they do say terrible things to each other. Now that I understand that they convey true disdain or hated by saying either bland, nice things or nothing at all, I cheerfully endure the affectionate abuse. Mostly. |
True, true...
Like if I wanted to say I really liked a friend, perhaps he may have just said 'hey I like you, you're a cool guy..."
instead of just coming out with it, I'd say something like 'Yeah you're okay too I guess, well except for the haircut...' the second clause being to diffuse the intensity of the emotional sentiment...
It would be assumed and understood to another Brit that I didn't really mean the part about the haircut though...
And yes true, if I wanted to be distainful I wouldn't camoflage it at all, I'd just plainly state that I didn't like something.
I guess Americans are kind of the opposite...
Moral of the story is - if you have Brit friends and they are hanging around with you and don't just come out with plain 'look I don't like you anymore / you're a Tw@t..' or something, you can safely bet that they like you... in fact, the more personal jibes they throw at you and the worse they are, the more highly they regard you in some ways... strange but usually true...
One thing I always say to non Brits who say that we are cool or reserved is this. Yes we do tend to be reserved and indifferent to people we don't know. At least in England and esp in London (I find 'northerners are genrally not as guilty of this) But at least if a Brit is hanging around with you or is friends with you, you should know that this means they really do like you. Because if they didn't they most likely plain wouldn't bother with you at all...
I've known Americans who I thought were my friends, always being over familliar, back slapping, acting like we were great frineds, etc, but in their behaviour they turned out to be little more and were no more reliable than casual acquaintences...
These are of course, broad generalisations... but there's some truth in it... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I've heard a large amount of American humour based on making fun of the Europeans, the British, the Canadians, the Mexicans, the Asians, and so on. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| I've heard a large amount of American humour based on making fun of the Europeans, the British, the Canadians, the Mexicans, the Asians, and so on. |
I think Americans take themselves quite seriously. For example, the Brits tend to tease eachother a lot and 'take the piss'. Its hard to do that with Americans because they take it too seriously and get offended-suggesting they do in fact have a belief in their superiority somehwere in the closet.The irish have an even rawer-edged humor than the English. in which case its the english that get ffended when the Irish are just joking around. from what i've seen, the French humour is based squarely on offending people. So you go from one extreme to the other.
bear in mind, most nationalities make fun of Americans too.
personally I think it'd be better if the whole "nationality-type" jokes gradually dissapeared. It only reinforces nationalism because each nation deep down believes they are superior to all the others in some way.. pathetic. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| kermo wrote: |
| I think Simon Pegg makes an important point about the Brits' need to mask sentiment. I used to be terrified of British humour face-to-face because they do say terrible things to each other. Now that I understand that they convey true disdain or hated by saying either bland, nice things or nothing at all, I cheerfully endure the affectionate abuse. Mostly. |
Thats a good point. What I don't like about the brits though is that they are not positive or constructive. For example if they don't like someone, instead of privately expressing their differences, they will talk about that person behind their back endlessly. In this way, the "up-front" brashness of the Australians for example is refreshing. They set you straight, you know where you stand.
| venus wrote: |
| And yes true, if I wanted to be distainful I wouldn't camoflage it at all, I'd just plainly state that I didn't like something. |
Thats good, so long as you're tactful. A lot of westerners think its their right to express themselves by causing offence.
Overall, I have to say I like the korean approach here. they have a quiet diplomacy of saving face and protecting the other persons feelings. Takes a while to figure out, but its a lot nicer than the western confrontational style. Its no wonder koreans have arrived at the idea Americans are arrogant. its just a really different style of communication. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
R-Seoul
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Location: your place
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
SAN FRANCISCO MAN BECOMES FIRST AMERICAN TO GRASP SIGNIFICANCE OF IRONY
SAN FRANCISCO - The Daily Telegraph spoke to Jay Fullmer, 38, who
became the first American to get to grips with the concept of irony
yesterday.
'It was weird,' Fullmer said, 'I was in London and, like, talking to
this guy and it was raining and shit and he said, like, "great
weather!", or something like that.'
Said Fullmer: 'And I thought - wait a minute, it's like, no way is it
great weather.'
Fullmer soon realised that the other man's "mistake" was deliberate.
'This guy was pretty cool about it,' Fullmer said.
Fullmer, who is 39 next month and married with two children, aged 8 and
3, planned to use irony himself in future.
'I'm like saying it all the time.' he said. 'Last weekend I was like
grilling steaks and I like burned them to shit, so I turned to everyone
and I said "great weather!". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| The thing I've noticed about British humor in Korea is that it is centered on making jokes about the French and Germans. At home this is called bigotry, but in Korea, the Brits that I know call it wit. |
True, but the Germans make it so easy for us.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
otis
Joined: 02 Jun 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:52 am Post subject: Re: Do Americans do irony? |
|
|
| Svetlana wrote: |
| Quote: |
Do Americans do irony?
|
They are neither smart or cultured enough for it. If it does not involve explosions or blonde bimbos with fake *beep*, it is above the American intellect. |
Svetlana is correct. We Americans don't do irony.
What we love to do are cheap prostitues from the former Soviet Union.
Send me a line, darling. I'm ever so lonely. I'll go as high as ten bucks--American!
Hell, even Mr. Putin would give me a hand-job for that kind of money. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
skinhead
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:22 am Post subject: Re: Do Americans do irony? |
|
|
| Big_Bird wrote: |
| Do Americans do irony? |
"Cambodia is the purest example of the Nixon doctrine in action".
~ Prez Richard Nixon 1971 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
