Episode 198
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Hi, everybody! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently.
Today we will talk about humor in English. There are many different ways that a person can be funny, and I will give you some examples of different types of humor in English.
And with a mini-story, you will improve your fluency. I will tell you a story while asking many questions that you will need to answer as quickly as possible. It's like having a conversation with another person in English.
Ok, let's start.
First, let's talk about what we call a funny person or at least someone who tries to be funny.
1) A goofy person
For example, we have the typical goofy person or goofball who does silly things, including funny dances and dressing up in ridiculous costumes. Sometimes they make funny mistakes, although those are usually on purpose. Clowns are usually considered goofy.
2) A prankster
A prankster is someone who plays practical jokes on people. Practical jokes are tricks that confuse or frighten others for a short period. I personally don't enjoy pulling pranks, let alone being pranked. However, many people have a great time watching videos on the internet containing these practical jokes.
3) A self-deprecating person
If you watch stand-up comedy, you will often find this type of self-deprecating person who makes jokes that make them look bad. They joke about their shortcomings and problems, although sometimes I find that they can even go too far with their storytelling, and I find their performance humiliating.
4) A witty person
A witty person says funny and brilliant things. Witty people are also quick with their jokes. An example of witty humor would be: "Too many people run out of ideas long before they run out of words."
Now let's look at the different types of humor in English.
Quirky sense of humor
Someone with a quirky sense of humor tells strange, unpredictable jokes, and they frequently use improvisation.
Dry or Deadpan sense of humor
Someone with a dry or deadpan sense of humor usually says funny things with a serious, calm expression. They don't smile, laugh, or make silly faces.
This type of humor is my favorite, and the people who tell these types of jokes are usually very intelligent.
Warped sense of humor
Having a warped or twisted sense of humor means making fun of things that many people find scary or offensive. We're talking about jokes about illness and tragic events.
And, of course, this kind of humor can go wrong in so many ways.
The truth is that there are types of humor that rarely make you laugh, such as, for example, corny humor.
Corny or cheesy jokes
Cheesy or corny jokes are supposed to be funny, but they're not. They're too silly or too predictable. For example, jokes involving two words that sound alike are too corny.
Another type of jokes that don't make me laugh are lame jokes.
Lame jokes
Lazy jokes just aren't funny. A "lame" joke is actually worse than a "corny" joke. For instance, you might laugh at a corny joke even if you think it's awful, but trust me, a lame joke just isn't funny.
So today, we have learned several types of humor in English. Now it’s time for you to practice your speech with a mini-story.
Now, let’s practice.
IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer the questions aloud with short and quick responses. Repeat the Mini-Story several times to improve your speaking and listening.
What's a mini-story?
A mini-story is very simple. I give you information using phrases, and then I ask you questions.
After each question, there will be some seconds of silence: it's your turn to answer the question!
Just try to give an easy and short answer. Not a complex one.
After your answer, I'll give you the correct answer.
And just like that, I'll tell a story with questions and answers.
Are you ready?
Jim was a comedian that was hired for a show.
Was Jim a comedian or a bohemian?
A comedian. Jim was a comedian. What was Jim's profession?
A comedian. Jim was a comedian.
What was Jim hired to do?
Jim was hired for a show.
Who was hired?
Jim. Jim was hired for a show.
For several weeks he spent day and night preparing his best jokes.
Did Jim spend several months preparing his best jokes?
No. No. Jim didn't spend several months. He spent several weeks preparing his best jokes.
What was Jim preparing?
Jokes. He was preparing his best jokes.
Was he preparing his worst jokes?
No. No. Jim was preparing his best jokes.
When he began his performance, he explained several very clever jokes.
Did he explain a few mediocre jokes at the beginning?
No. No. He didn't explain a few mediocre jokes.
What were the jokes like?
Clever. He explained several clever jokes.
When did he explain his jokes?
At the beginning of his performance. Jim explained his jokes at the beginning.
Something was wrong because Jim couldn't get anyone to laugh.
Was everything going smoothly?
No. No. Something was wrong.
How was Jim's performance going?
Not good. Jim's performance wasn't going well. Something was wrong.
Could Jim get anyone to laugh?
No. No. Jim couldn't get anyone to laugh.
Did anyone laugh?
No. No. Nobody laughed.
So Jim left the show crying his eyes out.
Did Jim leave the show overjoyed?
No. No. Jim didn't leave the show overjoyed. He wasn't happy at all. He left the show crying.
Who was crying his eyes out?
Jim. He was crying his eyes out. He was crying uncontrollably.
How was Jim crying?
Jim was crying his eyes out. He was crying uncontrollably.
It turns out Jim didn't know he'd been hired for a contest: Whoever laughed lost the prize.
Did Jim know he had been hired for a contest?
No. No. Jim had no idea he had been hired for a contest.
The person who laughed, lost, or won the prize?
Whoever laughed lost the prize.
Do you think that's why no one laughed at Jim's jokes?
Yes. No one wanted to lose the prize, so that's why they didn't laugh at Jim's jokes
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
goofy
silly in an amusing way.
prankster
someone who plays practical jokes.
self-deprecating
making jokes about your own weaknesses.
witty
clever and quick with humor.
deadpan humor
jokes delivered with a serious expression.
warped humor
humor that is strange or unusual.
corny joke
a predictable joke that may still be amusing.
lame joke
a joke that is weak and not funny.


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