English lovers
Apr 29th, 2004, 07:08 PM
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English lovers
Made you peek!
Just a book recommendation for anyone who loves the English language (and/or the culture of England).
<i>Eats, Shoots & Leaves</i> by Lynne Truss is a sly little book about punctuation that was (is?) a bestseller in Britain. With a wonderfully British sense of humo(u)r, Truss makes the argument that proper punctuation is an endangered species. The book is filled with anecdotes about proper and improper usage and the battles between writers and editors (copyeditors in particular).
What are the odds that it will be just as popular in the U.S.?
Apr 29th, 2004, 08:41 PM
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Just what is a BRITISH sense of humour?
Is there an AMERICAN sense of humour?
What about an ANGOLAN sense of humour?
Just wondering.
Are you the kind of person, elle, who stays up at night to read the MLA Handbook? I'm sure St. Cirq does.
Is there an AMERICAN sense of humour?
What about an ANGOLAN sense of humour?
Just wondering.
Are you the kind of person, elle, who stays up at night to read the MLA Handbook? I'm sure St. Cirq does.
Apr 29th, 2004, 10:47 PM
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Is ThinGorjis serious? WillTravel is right when s/he says it's hard to define but you know it when you here it, however just a few differences I've picked up from watching US and British television (which may or may not be a fair guideline) are the reliance on one-line smart remarks with subsequent pause for appreciation vs. integrated and ongoing funny and/or nonsensical conversation; and the need to emphasise or spell out a punchline just in case someone misses it vs. the subtlety of just quietly tossing it in there and moving on regardless.
Apr 30th, 2004, 01:36 AM
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I'm with twoflower! Elle is quite right to refer to a British sense of humour. Whilst a large proportion of humour does translate it's not 100% and I have often found that humour hasn't quite translated when I'm abroad.
British humour includes a lot of sarcasm, many puns, much eccentricity, lots of very subtle innuendo, elaborate verbal sparring. It also often includes some wickedly satirical self-depreciation and mockery.
Whilst most or even all of these elements play their part in humour around the world they play a larger part in British humour.
Of course, in this day and age, humour has become more global to an extent and many American sitcoms are popular in Britain, likewise the Brits have produced their own versions of that kind of comedy.
TG I know you're a defender of the realm but I have to say I'm with Elle on the concept of British humour on this one!
British humour includes a lot of sarcasm, many puns, much eccentricity, lots of very subtle innuendo, elaborate verbal sparring. It also often includes some wickedly satirical self-depreciation and mockery.
Whilst most or even all of these elements play their part in humour around the world they play a larger part in British humour.
Of course, in this day and age, humour has become more global to an extent and many American sitcoms are popular in Britain, likewise the Brits have produced their own versions of that kind of comedy.
TG I know you're a defender of the realm but I have to say I'm with Elle on the concept of British humour on this one!
Apr 30th, 2004, 01:46 AM
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Humour varies from culture to culture. Teasing someone in Ireland can be a sign of affection...doing this in the U.S. could be seen as insulting. I put my foot in it every time I go home! I think I am telling everyone how much I like them and they think I am a rude cow
I though Eats, Shoots and leaves was out in the U.S. for a while? Its a big deal in UK/Ireland and being reccommended by college lectures etc. for writing papers.
I though Eats, Shoots and leaves was out in the U.S. for a while? Its a big deal in UK/Ireland and being reccommended by college lectures etc. for writing papers.
Apr 30th, 2004, 01:49 AM
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Elle, I can't help mentioning the Australian description of a very unsatisfactory one-night stand, a "bandicoot" - a rather unattractive little marsupial that "eats roots and leaves". Once you know that "root" is an old Australian active verb relating the act of sex (I'm not sure how far Fodors will let me go here, but it starts with F) you can easily supply the comma after "eats".
For a long time I thought that the verb "root" in this context was unique to Australia, but then I read Larry McMurty's "Lonesome Dove". We must have more in common with Texas than we thought.
Blind Freddy (a popular figure in Australian folklore) would know that English TV comedy has on average been much better than American. On the other hand, the same BF knows that no English big-screen comedy has ever got close to "Tootsie" or "Groundhog Day". Why? Probably because the British have had the huge advantage of the publicly-funded BBC, while the American networks have to buckle under to their advertisers and pump out the TV equivalant of Bud beer. The answer: nationalise PBS and set them up with a charter that insulates them from political interference.
For a long time I thought that the verb "root" in this context was unique to Australia, but then I read Larry McMurty's "Lonesome Dove". We must have more in common with Texas than we thought.
Blind Freddy (a popular figure in Australian folklore) would know that English TV comedy has on average been much better than American. On the other hand, the same BF knows that no English big-screen comedy has ever got close to "Tootsie" or "Groundhog Day". Why? Probably because the British have had the huge advantage of the publicly-funded BBC, while the American networks have to buckle under to their advertisers and pump out the TV equivalant of Bud beer. The answer: nationalise PBS and set them up with a charter that insulates them from political interference.
Apr 30th, 2004, 03:14 AM
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I confess that I have NO idea of what an Angolan sense of humor would be like.
An Anglican sense of humor, perhaps. I heard an anecdote from an aquaintance who was an Episcopal priest in the U.S. His bishop was at an event with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Another guest at the table was a flagrant namedropper. At one point, the Archbishop supposedly said, "The Queen and I abhor name-dropping."
Of course this could be an urban, er, ecclesiastical legend.
An Anglican sense of humor, perhaps. I heard an anecdote from an aquaintance who was an Episcopal priest in the U.S. His bishop was at an event with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Another guest at the table was a flagrant namedropper. At one point, the Archbishop supposedly said, "The Queen and I abhor name-dropping."
Of course this could be an urban, er, ecclesiastical legend.
Apr 30th, 2004, 03:30 AM
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Siobhan--<i>Eats, Shoots and Leaves</i> was officially released on the 30th of March here in the States. I wanted to get it to read on the plane on our last trip, but remember that it wasn't in bookstores until the day we left.
It was possible to buy the U.K version through Amazon, though. Apparently, there was some debate about whether or not it should be "Americanized" (spellings, cultural references) for its release here. Fortunately, the publisher resisted.
Speaking of humor, language, and cultural differences, are you aware of the regurgitated brouhaha surrounding Bono's use of the f-word on last year's Grammy telecast? Originally, he wasn't fined because he used it as an adjective, not as a verb that describes an "obscene" act. Then, in the aftermath of <i>l'affaire Janet Jackson</i>, the Federal Communications Commission decided it was indeed obscene.
I thought this was culturally insensitive. When I visited Ireland, I heard all sorts of people--church-going grandmothers, even--use the word as part of their daily language (my friend Donal taught me how to say it in four different regional dialects). Such exposure certainly diminishes the shock value of a word so I didn't think it was right to punish Bono for using a phrase that is not taboo in his own culture.
It was possible to buy the U.K version through Amazon, though. Apparently, there was some debate about whether or not it should be "Americanized" (spellings, cultural references) for its release here. Fortunately, the publisher resisted.
Speaking of humor, language, and cultural differences, are you aware of the regurgitated brouhaha surrounding Bono's use of the f-word on last year's Grammy telecast? Originally, he wasn't fined because he used it as an adjective, not as a verb that describes an "obscene" act. Then, in the aftermath of <i>l'affaire Janet Jackson</i>, the Federal Communications Commission decided it was indeed obscene.
I thought this was culturally insensitive. When I visited Ireland, I heard all sorts of people--church-going grandmothers, even--use the word as part of their daily language (my friend Donal taught me how to say it in four different regional dialects). Such exposure certainly diminishes the shock value of a word so I didn't think it was right to punish Bono for using a phrase that is not taboo in his own culture.
. And I dated an unattractive little marsupial, back in the day. . .
Apr 30th, 2004, 03:41 AM
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British humour can be wicked at times. Many moons ago, the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, hosted a dinner at Number 10 for her cabinet ministers (all men).
The chef came out to check the place settings at the long, oval table and said to the PM, "Now, Ma'am, what about the vegetables?" "Don't worry," she replied, "they're all here!"
The chef came out to check the place settings at the long, oval table and said to the PM, "Now, Ma'am, what about the vegetables?" "Don't worry," she replied, "they're all here!"
Apr 30th, 2004, 04:56 AM
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Bought it in the UK in February. This has come out in the US -- I've seen it in Borders and Barnes & Noble. There were (at least?) two articles about it in the NYT -- one is a recent book review that you can read here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/25/bo...25MORRIST.html
I found it about it a couple of months ago when I read the first Times article.
I found it refreshing that I had similar thoughts with the reviewer, that I didn't find the book that great at all. Granted, I've only read about half of it. Perhaps I just don't get the British humor.
Still, Lynne Truss deserves credit for drawing attention to poor grammar and writing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/25/bo...25MORRIST.html
I found it about it a couple of months ago when I read the first Times article.
I found it refreshing that I had similar thoughts with the reviewer, that I didn't find the book that great at all. Granted, I've only read about half of it. Perhaps I just don't get the British humor.
Still, Lynne Truss deserves credit for drawing attention to poor grammar and writing.
