The Relationship Between Humor and Culture: Emma Jameson

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Recommended: Importance of humour

Similar to many other lively pleasures, humor can only be experienced if it resonates with a person. Without some kind of comprehension, there cannot be any type of reaction. Only once an outlandish statement, inappropriate remark, or unexpected situation, is remotely understood will a person be able to label it comical or sober. Since there are billions of people worldwide with their own languages including it’s respective idioms, euphemisms, the age old saying of “there is truth in every joke” applies to each culture individually.
Introduction
Emma Jameson, a new and popular author, describes the relationship between humor and culture by noting that, “A nation’s wit is linked to the historical development of the country . . . Therefore humor is something which is not always transferrable in another country.” While many agree with Jameson, an argument arises depicting the differences between the British culture and American melting-pot. Given that American forefathers carried the English language from their homeland, Great Britain, many critics believe that there cannot be too many differences within the language.
In fact, English speakers in America clearly differ from those in Britain by tone, delivery, and expression. Since the language differs in these ways based on its local use, it is understandable why the two countries’s humor differ as well. America’s obvious slap-stick and Britain’s blunt irony, differ between their own individual standards, just like their versions of the English language, and continue to change with time. In comparison to the humor used by Hollywood’s original actors in the early fifties, the comedies we are currently exposed to on television today has changed drastically.
The Transformation of ...

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Deacon, Michael. "Father Figure: A Very Bad Comedy from a Very Good Comedian." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 22 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Jameson, Emma. "English Humour vs. American Humor – Is There a Difference?" Lexiophiles. Lexiophiles, 29 Oct. 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
"Modern Family | TV Review | Plugged In." Modern Family | TV Review | Plugged In. Focus on the Family's Plugged In, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Taflinger, Richard F. "Richard Taflinger's Home Page." Richard Taflinger's Home Page. Washington State University, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
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