English Lessons

Men are naturally funnier than women. This is the claim of a UK male professor, Sam Shuster. He conducted research on 400 different people as he cycled around his town. He observed the reaction of onlookers and discovered that men made more jokes about him than women, and that men’s jokes were more aggressive. He said three-quarters of male “jokers” mocked him and made nasty comments, while most women tended to tease him with a smile. He said: "The difference between the men and women was absolutely remarkable and consistent." Professor Shuster believes the male hormone testosterone is the cause of men being funnier. He found that teenage boys were aggressive in their humor and this aggression changed with older men into a funnier form of joking.

Earlier research suggests women and men use humor differently. One study said women tend to tell fewer jokes than men and male comedians outnumber female ones. Another showed men look more for a punchline. Men also use people they know as the subject of their jokes, often in a negative way. Married men seem to like hearing and making jokes about mothers-in-law. British comedian John Moloney disagreed with Professor Shuster’s findings. He said that in his 21-year career in comedy, he had never noticed that men were funnier than women. He stated: "The difference is that if a group of women were together and the conversation lulls, they don't automatically start telling jokes, which men do. It then becomes a bit of a competition, but that doesn't mean to say men are funnier."

HUMOR DISCUSSION:

• What did you think when you read the headline?
• Do you agree that men are funnier than women?
• How do you think men and women use humor differently?
• Are the subjects of men and women’s jokes different in Korea?
• What kind of comedy do you enjoy?
• Who is your favorite comedian?
• What is your favorite type of entertainment? Movies, books, tv, sports? Is humor involved?
• Are you good at telling jokes? Tell me one! (if not a joke, try a funny story!)
• Do you think different nationalities have different senses of humor?
• Do you laugh at jokes told in English?
• How would you characterize Korean humor?

TALKING ABOUT HUMOR

appreciate: What kind of humor do you appreciate?
like: In life I like playfulness, in fiction I like mature humor.
enjoy: I really enjoy the humor the author used to lighten up the mood of the book.
find: Within our expat community, I found similar humor.
add: You seem tired today, so I will add a little humor.
see: He told me a joke, but I didn't see the humor!

Some related IDIOMS

“pulling your leg” = making a joke. He is pulling your leg.
“in bad humor” = in a bad mood. He’s in bad humor today.
“over the top” = too excessive. That comedian is over the top.
“go over like a lead balloon” = to be received badly by an audience.

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