聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Humour聽provides amusement and provokes laughter. The word is derived from the ancient Greeks, who believed that the balance of fluids in the human body, known as humours (the Latin word聽鈥渉umor鈥� means "body fluid"), controlled human health and emotion. Hence the saying, 鈥渓aughter is the best medicine.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sven was having his annual medical appointment, and the doctor took one look at his big stomach and refused to believe that he works out. So, Sven listed the exercises he does every day: jump to conclusions, climb the walls, drag his heels, push his luck, run out of time, chase the dollar, run around in circles, put his foot in his mouth, go over the edge, and beat around the bush!
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When I first heard the expression 鈥渂lack humour,鈥� I thought it to be discriminatory and wondered if there was such a thing as 鈥渨hite humour.鈥澛� But then it was explained to me.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽鈥淥h doctor, I鈥檓 just so nervous. This is my first operation,鈥� Lena said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The doctor said, 鈥淒on't worry. It鈥檚 my first one too!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 People of all ages and cultures respond to humour. Most people are able to experience humour, be amused, smile or laugh at something funny and thus are considered to have a聽sense of humour.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sven was attending an antiques auction in Toronto. Donald Trump went up to the auctioneer and had him announce that he had lost his wallet containing $10,000 in cash, and would give a cash reward of $500 to whoever found it. From the top of the bleachers Sven shouted, 鈥淚鈥檒l give a $1,000 cash reward!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For a person, finding something humorous depends on a host of variables, including geographical location, culture, maturity, level of education, intelligence and context.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ethnic humour is prevalent in our society, as are blonde jokes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ole moved in next door to an Asian couple. The wife鈥檚 name was Chin Tu Fat. She was a plastic surgeon, and her husband was a psychiatrist named Sum Ting Wong.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Two blondes fell down a hole. One said, "It's dark in here, isn't it?"
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The other replied, "I don't know; I can't see."
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A more sophisticated form of humour is satire which聽requires an understanding of its social meaning and context, and therefore tends to appeal to the more mature audience.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Karl was sitting at a sidewalk caf茅 in Vancouver, enjoying the sight of all the sailboats moored at False Creek. The waitress came to take his order and he said, 鈥淚鈥檇 like a cup of coffee, please, with no cream.鈥澛�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The waitress looked Karl over and said, 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry sir, but we are out of cream.聽 How about with no milk?鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But then there are always people who lack a sense of humour, and that might just be the police officer who pulled Sven over for speeding.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淒o you know how fast you were going?鈥� asked the officer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淗ey!鈥� said Sven, 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 know, then why the heck did you pull me over?鈥漈he officer handed him the ticket and without smiling told Sven to have a nice day.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Humour is most often provided by telling a joke, and a joke is defined as something that someone says to cause amusement, merriment or laughter.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When I first came to Canada, I learned that most people called their toilet 鈥渢he john.鈥澛� I thought if we can give our toilets a man鈥檚 name, I鈥檒l call mine the Jim. That way I can say that I go to the Jim first thing every morning!
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ole鈥檚 son Per had finally earned his master鈥檚 degree in sociology, and upon graduation his professor, who had also written a text book used as course material, asked him which book had helped him the most and made him able to graduate. 鈥淢y father鈥檚 cheque book!鈥� answered Per.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Good humour and funny jokes make people laugh. There are many ways of laughing, such as roaring with laughter. It鈥檚 similar to guffawing and is usually accompanied with slapping one鈥檚 thighs. Chuckling, chortling, giggling, tittering and twittering are more controlled ways to laugh; however, wry smiles and cackling are more sinister expressions.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Here are a few stories in an attempt to produce that laughter.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A police officer attempted to stop Sven for speeding but Sven gradually increased his speed until he was topping 160 kilometres per hour. Sven, however, eventually realized he couldn鈥檛 escape and finally pulled over. The officer approached the car and said, "It's been a long day and my shift is almost over, so if you can give me a good excuse for your behaviour, I'll let you go."
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sven thought for a few seconds and then said, "My wife ran away with a police officer about a week ago. I thought you might be that officer trying to bring her back!"
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A bank robber pulled out a gun, pointed it at the teller, and said, "Give me all the money or you're geography!"
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Puzzled, the teller replied, "Did you mean to say 'or you're history?'"
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The robber said, "Don't change the subject!"
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ole went to his lawyer and told him, "Karl my neighbour owes me $500 but he won鈥檛 pay up. What should I do?"
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 "Do you have any proof that Karl owes you the money?" asked the lawyer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 "Nope," replied Ole.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 "OK, then write him a letter asking him for the $5,000 he owes you," said the lawyer.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 "But it's only $500," replied Ole.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 "Precisely. That鈥檚 what he will reply and then you鈥檒l have your proof!"
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sven phoned Hans and said, "Holy crap, I just fell off a 50-foot ladder."聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hans said, "Oh my God, are you okay?"聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 "Yeah, said Sven, 鈥淚t's a good thing I fell off the first rung!"
