Is it true that American's don't use sarcasm?

[DroopyTofu]

Everyone uses sarcasm, but Americans less, I notice, they tend to use straight words and if they were sarcastic, they use an exaggerated tone of voice. A British person uses sarcasm in normal daily conversation delivered nonchalantly. I was with a group of American and 1 British guy, the Americans did not know what to make of his sarcasm, so I think they are not familiar with the mode of speaking.

I tend to use it very nonchalantly (I'm American.). I often get people that take what I say at face value, especially when I meet new people. Friends I have known for a long time usually can pick up when I'm being sarcastic, but I have some friends that I have to consiously not be sarcastic around. I've had groups of people thouroughly convinced that I sprained my eyebrow in a competitive knitting contest where I came in fourth place. All in all, I think it just depends on the American. Some pick it up well, others are clueless.

I heard from someone that sarcasm is considered the lowest form of humour.

That's just what people who aren't smart enough to get sarcasm say to help themselves sleep at night.

Spoiler :

(This is an example of my sarcasm)

 

[dannyshenanigan]

I'm confused . Is there anyone here that has never seen for example The Simpsons. Does that not count as fairly sarcastic at times?

 

[Ekolite]

Not enough to affect one's ability to perceive humor Can you illustrate any differences that would effect a difference in thought?

There are cultutal differences though which cause a difference in the way we perceive humour. In America a llot of humour has ethnic or political basis. In the UK, jokes refering to ethnicity or race are generally considered unacceptable and not funny by society.

 

[Hygro]

There are cultutal differences though which cause a difference in the way we perceive humour. In America a llot of humour has ethnic or political basis. In the UK, jokes refering to ethnicity or race are generally considered unacceptable and not funny by society.

Way to change the subject, we were talking about linguistic differences that would change one's mental ability or motivation to perceive humor.

Anyway, do you still think Americans don't get sarcasm?

 

[PhroX]

I'll just second what a few people have already said, and say that from my experience, while American's do use sarcasm quite extensively, they're a lot more blatant about it than us Brits. When an American is being sarcastic, it's obvious. When a Brit is, often it's not.

I find this has transferred to the internet too. Many people (presumably either American or non-native English speakers) expect sarcastic comments to have a smiley attached to indicate it as such and often miss what are, to my eye at least, clearly sarcastic comments without them.

 

[Ekolite]

Anyway, do you still think Americans don't get sarcasm?

I didn't think that in the beginning. I heard someone say that American's don't get sarcasm and I thought it seemed unlikely, nevertheless I thought it was worth checking anyway.


Regardless of whether the differences are cultutal or linguistic, it's obvious that the English and the Americans have a different sense of humour. It's not unreasonable to wonder whether the English one is more sarcastic then the American.

I find this has transferred to the internet too. Many people (presumably either American or non-native English speakers) expect sarcastic comments to have a smiley attached to indicate it as such and often miss what are, to my eye at least, clearly sarcastic comments without them.

Yeah I tend to find that too.

 

[holy king]

Nope you don't (first-hand experience). And Germans aren't even known for good sarcastic humor.

humour doesnt even exist north of bavaria.

 

[Mango Elephant]

In the UK, jokes refering to ethnicity or race are generally considered unacceptable and not funny by society.

But those jokes are so funny! What do the Brits joke about?

 

[Mise]

Please don't listen to Ekolite's opinions on humour in various countries. It should be obvious by now that he doesn't really know what he's talking about

Brits enjoy jokes about ethnicity or race as much as anywhere else.

 

[Haseri]

@Mango Elephant: Class differences.

 

[Mango Elephant]

@Mango Elephant: Class differences.

Give an example!

 

[Ekolite]

Brits enjoy jokes about ethnicity or race as much as anywhere else.

Only about white people. Of course poking fun at the Scottish, Welsh, French etc. is very common, but you can't make jokes about people of other races without getting dirty looks. Certainly from where I'm from anyway, in the middle class suburban South East.

 

[Mise]

If that's what you think, then it says more about you than about anyone else.

 

[Ekolite]

I don't think I've ever heard anyone joke about people of other races where I live. Seriously, it's not done. Maybe it's different in London.

 

[Mise]

Yeah, London is basically the only place I've ever lived...

 

[Haseri]

@Mango This pretty much sums it up, despite being so old.

 

[spryllino]

I see much more racist than classist humour in my contemporaries, and even if people find the classist humour more entertaining, as they do, people still make racist jokes because they are so much less subtle and easier to make in general. I live in South-East England too (not London).

 

[GinandTonic]

I like telling the joke about the asian brummie who only speaks hair-do to really politically correct people, and watching them try to work out if it's ok to laugh. Which it clearly is.

 

[Traitorfish]

@Mango Elephant: Class differences.

Also, regional differences- e.g. North vs South, Yorkshire vs Lancashire, Weegies vs Edinbuggers, etc.- although, the British obsession with class being what it is, they often overlap.

@Mango This pretty much sums it up, despite being so old.

Classic, that one!

 

[ParadigmShifter]

We used to like sexist and racist jokes, but now we have this:


Link to video.