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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009Does this "joke" works in English?
Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but here translated into English - that The White House must change its name to The Black Barack. He is said to have made his first law: All women must be shaved - why? - No more bush. My question is: Do these terribly jokes mean anything in the English language -i.e. do English people understand them or are the points and puns only understandable in Danish? (of course you do not know it in Danish, but in Danish they make some sense, is it so in English?). The reason for my question: I have often pondered over how jokes work when translated into foreign languages, especially English - some do and some don't - but do the above mentioned work? Arne H. Wilstrup Denmark On 22 Jan 2009, Arne H. Wilstrup wrote > Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before > texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > English - some do and some don't - but do the above mentioned > work? Yes, they do. As you say, they're really terrible jokes, but the puns on "Barack/barracks" and "bush" work.  SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed > As you say, they're really terrible jokes, but the puns on > "Barack/barracks" and "bush" work. The first one only for BBC listeners. Most Americans have never heard his name mispronounced in a way that would bring "barracks" to mind. ¬R >Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before >texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but >here translated into English - that The White House must >change its name to The Black Barack. That might be made to work. The spelling of military living quarters is "barracks". Note the double "r" and the plural. The main problem, for me, is that "Barack", the given name, has the stress on the second syllable, but "barracks" has it on the first. >He is said to have made his first law: All women must be >shaved - why? - No more bush. That works. >My question is: Do these terribly jokes mean anything in the >English language -i.e. do English people understand them or [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >Arne H. Wilstrup >Denmark SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) > Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before > texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > English - some do and some don't - but do the above mentioned > work? The first one doesn't quite work because of the difference in spelling between Barack and barrack. The second one works fine. SignatureSkitt (AmE) >> Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before >> texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >> My question is: Do these terribly jokes mean anything in the >> English language -i.e. do English people understand them[?] [...] > The first one doesn't quite work because of the difference in spelling > between Barack and barrack. It's a joke, for heaven's sake! Of course it works. > The second one works fine. Yes. SignatureMike. >>> Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before >>> texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > It's a joke, for heaven's sake! Of course it works. Others mentioned problems with the spoken version; I mentioned the problem with the written version. Some are more demanding then others about the quality of jokes. >> The second one works fine. > > Yes. SignatureSkitt (AmE) > Some are more demanding then others about the quality of jokes. Jokes are best told in a company that is prepared to laugh out loud. Alcohol can be very helpful in this regard - I laughed at a really awful blonde joke the other night after only one pint of beer. SignatureRob Bannister >> Some are more demanding then others about the quality of >> jokes. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > laughed at a really awful blonde joke the other night after > only one pint of beer. Hmm! Two blondes are brought to the hospital by two porters. The nurse says: "What do we have here?" - the one porter says: "They are two blondes who froze to death in their car. They were sitting in a drive-in cinema patiently waiting for the film "Closed for the Winter" should start!". It might be funny in many languages, but I shall not tempt anybody here to once more contribute to this - it is not a group for jokes, you know. I couldn't, however, refrain from telling it, though. (By the way: can I use the word "however", in this way together with the word "though" in the same sentence as used above? -I am not sure it can be done, but what do you say?) >>> Some are more demanding then others about the quality of >>> jokes. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >together with the word "though" in the same sentence as used >above? -I am not sure it can be done, but what do you say?) It can be done. You just did it! The use of both "however" and "though" in that way is unnecessary but is not a serious crime. Your wrote: "...waiting for the film "Closed for the Winter" should start!" That should be "...waiting for...*to* start!" The form: "...waiting *until* the film "Closed for the Winter" should start!" might be used in some English dialects but I would avoid it. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>>> Some are more demanding then others about the quality of >>>> jokes. [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > That should be "...waiting for...*to* start!" Thank you! > The form: "...waiting *until* the film "Closed for the > Winter" should start!" > might be used in some English dialects but I would avoid it. Thank you again! Arne H. Wilstrup Denmark On Jan 22, 6:15�pm, "Mike Lyle" <mike_lyle...@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> wrote: > >> Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before > >> texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > It's a joke, for heaven's sake! Of course it works. It's a joke only if it makes you laugh. I don't see any humor in using the color of one's skin to "rhyme" with a contrived context. > > The second one works fine. > > Yes. Ditto. Arne H. Wilstrup: >>> Subject: Does this "joke" works in English? You mean work, as in "it does work". >>> Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before >>> texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >>> My question is: Do these terribly jokes mean anything in the >>> English language -i.e. do English people understand them[?] [...] "Skitt": >> The first one doesn't quite work because of the difference in spelling >> between Barack and barrack. Mike Lyle: > It's a joke, for heaven's sake! Of course it works. I'm with Skitt. I *got* the joke quickly enough, but the two words aren't close enough either in spelling or in pronunciation for it to be funny for me. It's a matter of personal reaction, I think. The idea of changing two words in the building name also detracts from it for me -- it might work better in speech with a slight pause between them. >> The second one works fine. > Yes. Agreed. SignatureMark Brader | "Don't be silly. A pedant is something you hang Toronto | round your neck, or else you hang them by the neck." msb@vex.net | --Rob Bannister My text in this article is in the public domain. >Arne H. Wilstrup: >>>> Subject: Does this "joke" works in English? [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >from it for me -- it might work better in speech with a slight pause >between them. I'm wichoo. I see what is intended as humor, but it doesn't make me laugh. It seems contrived. >>>> The second one works fine. >> Yes. > >Agreed. SignatureTony Cooper - Orlando, Florida > Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time before > texting jokes came to my Danish mobile saying in Danish - but [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Arne H. Wilstrup > Denmark Have you no respect? (smiley goes here) SignatureFrank ess >> Barack Obama has not been a president for a long time >> before [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > (smiley goes here) Not at all! ;-)) Arne H. Wilstrup Denmark By the way -thank you all for the contribution to the question - I consider the jokes - especially the joke about "bush" to belong to pubs with men. It is not screamingly funny, but it has some fun in it, I think. |
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