British Humour - scatological humour

Lynne

That famous British sense of humour can often be puerile and juvenile. This article investigates, but be warned, it is advanced English, and contains adult content, discussing bodily functions. Read at your peril.

http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music-theatre/2017/08/poo-jokes-and-pessimism-scatological-legacy-british-humour

Practical_Severard

> @Lynne said:
> That famous British sense of humour can often be puerile and juvenile. This article investigates, but be warned, it is advanced English, and contains adult content, discussing bodily functions. Read at your peril.
>
> http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music-theatre/2017/08/poo-jokes-and-pessimism-scatological-legacy-british-humour

I was told that the Germans share the British taste for the scatological humour, therefore I think it's something descending from the common Germanic origins.

I don't agree that the humour about losers have something in common with the scatological one, it's rather an outcome of the 'stiff upper lip' philosophy. How would a 'stiff upper lip' person deal with his or her failures? Making laugh of them, of course.

As for the advanced English, I've picked up a new vocabulary piece: 'to poo oneself'. That's true that my former teachers haven't presented me with this theme, but, after all, nothing new after the Daily Mail's forums and/or Hollywood movies.

Not so long ago I was googling the phrase 'for however long' since I wasn't sure it was an accepted usage in English. Apparently, it was, but, Google returned me the rap lyrics titled in this way:

(your language warning applies to it as well)
https://play.google.com/music/preview/T74bse4knzkluau5hvwvc7swzrm?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics

I loved the use of the word 'irreplaceable' there. It was so different from the other used words that it had immediate comic effect on me. Probably, that's the kind of humour that only a philologist, or no difference in this case, a language learner can get. Just don't know whether it has been intentional.

mheredge

@Lynne I am adding the other articles I have collected for a Skype session later in the week as I will be looking at what makes us laugh.

Why comedy is not universal: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170821-why-comedy-is-not-universal

Do men and women find different films funny?
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170817-do-men-and-women-find-different-films-funny

The 100 greatest comedies of all time: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170821-the-100-greatest-comedies-of-all-time

mheredge

Not all British humour is bad! Monty Python were never too explicit. Maybe they were scared of Mary Whitehouse who used to complain if she thought that the BBC overstepped the mark. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Whitehouse