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Cultures don’t translate humor well. Find out how to keep hilarious while connecting with your global audience by using our translation tips.
Spain celebrates “Santos Inocentes” on December 28. It’s a day of lighthearted jokes, much to April Fools’ Day, when people con those they know and love only to make them laugh.
It’s common to hear that humor is a universal language that unites people. However, the truth is that people speak it differently all across the world.
What makes you laugh has to do with your language skills and cultural background. For this reason, humor frequently fails to bridge cultural gaps. As evidence, consider the proverb “Humor doesn’t travel well.”
We’ll be examining comedy in cross-cultural contexts in this blog article. We’ll also offer you advice on how to handle it to steer clear of misconceptions and cultural faux pas.
Comparing humor in Eastern and Western cultures.
Being hilarious is often viewed as a positive quality in Western culture. It makes you seem more endearing and assured. However, in the East, events take a distinct direction. For example, Chinese people are not comfortable expressing their humor.
The Eastern method differs from the Western one in that humor is not used to break the ice, lighten the mood, or disguise feelings. Humor in corporate contexts could be seen as unprofessional.
Regarding irony and sarcasm, in many Eastern cultures they are perceived as “Western.” Their communication style is shaped by the innate drive to keep harmony and save face. Given this, it should come as no surprise that Asians don’t use these resources.
The ways that laughing and humor varies between nations.
While laughter may be a universal language, cultural conventions, values, and beliefs influence how we communicate and value humor.
Three distinct cultures—two of which speak the same language—will be examined now:
Japan.
Humor is only appropriate among family and friends in our country; it is not appropriate among strangers. Furthermore, as hierarchy is highly valued in Japan, humor is not appropriate in official settings or higher social strata.
How is comedy currently in Japan? It’s naive, carefree enjoyment. Jokes about other people are rarely made by Japanese people. In addition, they avoid offensive language and forbidden topics.
Americas.
American humor has a tendency to be individualistic. Consider stand-up comedy, which is about questioning social norms and sharing personal stories.
Their brand of humor incorporates devices like exaggeration and lighthearted behavior. Exaggeration and performance are key components. Consider well-known individuals like Woody Allen or the Marx Brothers.
UK
British humor is known for its sharp wit and ability to make people laugh at the ironic and subtle things. Recall Mr. Bean and Benny Hill?
The surprising thing is that Brits actually find comedy funny on the silly side, despite their prim and respectable exterior.
research on humor across cultural boundaries.
Dr. Richard Wiseman, a psychologist, studied intercultural humor in 2001. His “LaughLab” initiative sought to identify the funniest joke ever told. Over 350,000 people from 70 countries rated 40,000 jokes in total.
Some of the conclusions reached are as follows:
Jokes and bizarre comedy about uncomfortable subjects (such illness or death) are popular in France, Denmark, and Belgium.
Jokes with creative wordplay are particularly popular among people from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland.
Jokes that have characters looking silly and convey a strong sense of superiority are popular among Americans and Canadians.
Maintaining the same comedy in a different language?
Several linguistic and cultural elements are used by humor to accomplish its goal of making you laugh. This is the reason you can have trouble while making a joke in a foreign language with: