Handling jokes

[FlagOnce]

Imagine you're someone who likes to do a lot of jokes or to make people laugh because you just feel fun. The thing is, you probably learnt how to do it in your native language, but when comes another language, there's a lot of jokes that are no longer applicable, either for cultural reasons, or because words are different if you are doing word jokes.

So you're like limited. You can't express your personality and that feels sad because additionally with your difficulty to speak and express yourself, parts of your personality are just hidden without you in the ability to do much. So, how to handle that issue?

[Chris_A]

You could try translating the joke that you want to say, the best you can. Thing about jokes is, usually the setting or the situation is what is fun about them. And those things can be easily translated into another language.

[Lingua Franca]

There are certain jokes that are just universal, I have lost count of the amount of times that i have heard the same joke told in two distinct languages. It often surprises me how a joke that I thought wouldn't work in another language, just does.

[linguaholic]

There are certain jokes that are just universal, I have lost count of the amount of times that i have heard the same joke told in two distinct languages. It often surprises me how a joke that I thought wouldn't work in another language, just does.

For example?

[Lingua Franca]

For example?

A boy is siting in a bus and stands up quickly and starts yelling,

" I lost my ball, I lost my ball"

The bus driver after hearing this, grinds the bus to a stop, and immediately orders everyone to look for the boys ball. A hour later, exhausted from looking for the ball, the bus driver builds up enough courage and goes up to the boy.

" Sorry, son but we can't find your ball"

After hearing this the boy puts a huge smile on his face and points at his nose and says

" Don't worry I'll roll another one."

Try and translate this joke to another language and you will see that it will works.

 

 

 

 

[Wanda Kaishin]

Didn't translate well into English though. A ball of snot? You could say that, but it's just not terribly colloquial imo. Try this one instead:

A family of mice were surprised by a big cat. Father Mouse jumped up and said, "Bow-wow!" The cat ran away. "What was that, Father?" asked Baby Mouse. "Well, son, that's why it's important to learn a second language." 

[FlagOnce]

You could try translating the joke that you want to say, the best you can. Thing about jokes is, usually the setting or the situation is what is fun about them. And those things can be easily translated into another language.

Yes, situational jokes can be translated in another language, to the extent they rely on the short-term context. But many of the jokes are as well related to the culture (popular TV shows, actors, imitations, songs, movies) and to word jokes, where they sometimes doesn't translate at all, or where you don't know how to make another word joke in your target language. You have to be better than fluent to make word jokes, and you have to know about external culture of other countries to make jokes based on culture. And often, you rely on culture/word jokes as a start to after use situational jokes when you talked more with a person.

[Chris_A]

Yes, situational jokes can be translated in another language, to the extent they rely on the short-term context. But many of the jokes are as well related to the culture (popular TV shows, actors, imitations, songs, movies) and to word jokes, where they sometimes doesn't translate at all, or where you don't know how to make another word joke in your target language. You have to be better than fluent to make word jokes, and you have to know about external culture of other countries to make jokes based on culture. And often, you rely on culture/word jokes as a start to after use situational jokes when you talked more with a person.

Yeah, if you put it that way, I agree. Many jokes are based on local culture, which a person from another culture would not understand. The best you can do, in such cases, is trying to explain the other person, why said joke is funny in the first place, which kills the joke by default.

[FlagOnce]

Yeah, if you put it that way, I agree. Many jokes are based on local culture, which a person from another culture would not understand. The best you can do, in such cases, is trying to explain the other person, why said joke is funny in the first place, which kills the joke by default.

Or not doing these jokes. You know, I don't find much it is a problem to have difficulties in a language, and for example, the fact I can't write books in a language I'm not fluent in is not a problem for me, you know. It's something you have to achieve by learning the language, it's a kind of reward.

But the fact a language problem (and a culture problem, also) hinders my personality is something I don't like. It's like I don't look the same just because I'm writing it in another language. That doesn't feel fair in my opinion and honestly, I wonder what are the real solutions against that.

[Chris_A]

I know what you mean. A language barrier is definitely a bad thing to have. While you can learn certain aspects of a given culture and adopt them, you will actually have to study hard to master a language and eliminate that barrier. I think that is the only solution to such a problem.

[Wanda Kaishin]

I wonder what are the real solutions against that.

The only real solution is to learn the language to a very high level. 

[Lingua Franca]

Didn't translate well into English though. A ball of snot? You could say that, but it's just not terribly colloquial imo. Try this one instead:

A family of mice were surprised by a big cat. Father Mouse jumped up and said, "Bow-wow!" The cat ran away. "What was that, Father?" asked Baby Mouse. "Well, son, that's why it's important to learn a second language." 

Not all jokes are translatable but there are some that are. It really comes down to how the joke is told. Just a side note, the bus and snot joke is English. I didn't translate it from another language.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get to the other side.