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Discussion Groups / English Usage / June 2010Writing out laughter
OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such as I) will interpret this the way I intended, especially in context: > On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:25:47 +0200 Bertel Lund Hansen > <splitteminebramsejl@lundhansen.dk> wrote: > > [snip] > > > > Why not "Meekmac" then? ( I know that there's no answer to such a > > question) > > Why ask it then? > > Har har. ;) However, what does the English reader think? Is it natural to them? Would "haw haw" have been more appropriate? I didn't much think about it, but "har har" seems dryer, more emotionless, which was the intent. /W  SignatureINVALID? DE! > OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of > a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > /W You could use the Gnasher "arf, arf". SignatureRay UK > OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a > somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Would "haw haw" have been more appropriate? I didn't much think about > it, but "har har" seems dryer, more emotionless, which was the intent. "Ha ha" is more common in English. SignaturePeter Moylan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. http://www.pmoylan.org For an e-mail address, see my web page. > > OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression > > of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > "Ha ha" is more common in English. I know, same as in German. My point was (besides poorly explained) that I wanted to convey a certain sort of laughter. A more dry, sarcastic one. A little like "pretend laughter". As in "I hereby acknowledge that I have made a lame joke". /W SignatureINVALID? DE! >>> OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression >>> of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > one. A little like "pretend laughter". As in "I hereby acknowledge that > I have made a lame joke". Hardy har. I think it was The Three Stooges who used "Yuk yuk", but that sounds too old-fashioned by now. SignaturePeter Moylan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. http://www.pmoylan.org For an e-mail address, see my web page. Peter Moylan skrev: > Hardy har. > I think it was The Three Stooges who used "Yuk yuk", but that sounds too > old-fashioned by now. When I was a child, we talked about "vandede vittigheder" (waterful jokes). I suppose it was opposed to "dry humor", but I don't really know since that concept never was mentioned. If a joke was really bad, we'd just say "dryp, dryp" (drip, drip). SignatureBertel, Denmark >> > OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression >> > of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >one. A little like "pretend laughter". As in "I hereby acknowledge that >I have made a lame joke". "Ha bloody ha." SignatureKaty Jennison spamtrap: remove the first two letters after the @ > "Ha bloody ha." I would write it hah bloody hah. JGH >> "Ha bloody ha." > >I would write it hah bloody hah. My version is "Ha bloody ha ha", but that could be confused with a wall concealed in a ditch. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >>> OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression >>> of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > sarcastic one. A little like "pretend laughter". As in "I hereby > acknowledge that I have made a lame joke". Heh. SignatureFrank ess > >[snip] > >> "Ha ha" is more common in English. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Heh. Right, I've seen this one used a lot. Although it usually evokes a feeling of cheekiness, or, in the case of just having made a lame joke, a subtle pride. I think. /W SignatureINVALID? DE! >>>> OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression >>>> of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Heh. Or even 'heh heh' There are many choices: ho ho fnaar splort <vbg> <beg> nyuk nyuk splutter arf But I suspect they don't always mean the same to the reader as they do to the writer SignatureJohn Dean Oxford >> OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a >> somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >"Ha ha" is more common in English. I looked for "har" in online dictionaries, not expecting to find it with that meaning. However: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/har Pronunciation * Audio (US) Play sound (file) Interjection har 1. A sound of laughter, with a sarcastic connotation. I don't recognise it as a BrE word. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) Peter Moylan skrev: > "Ha ha" is more common in English. Yes, but that might be genuine amusement. That was not intended. SignatureBertel, Denmark > OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a > somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such > as I) will interpret this the way I intended, especially in context: >> On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:25:47 +0200 Bertel Lund Hansen >> <splitteminebramsejl@lundhansen.dk> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >> >> Har har. ;) > However, what does the English reader think? Is it natural to them? > Would "haw haw" have been more appropriate? I didn't much think about > it, but "har har" seems dryer, more emotionless, which was the intent. And for BrE readers, "Haw haw" tends to denote a very upper-class guffaw. It also has another resonance for those old enough to remember World War 2, but I won't mention the war! Peter. SignaturePeter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004. (US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist) Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired. http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk > And for BrE readers, "Haw haw" tends to denote a very upper-class > guffaw. It also has another resonance for those old enough to remember > World War 2, but I won't mention the war! Oh, Lord! SignaturePeter Moylan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. http://www.pmoylan.org For an e-mail address, see my web page. >> OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a >> somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >guffaw. It also has another resonance for those old enough to remember >World War 2, but I won't mention the war! Thank the Lord you didn't. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) > And for BrE readers, "Haw haw" tends to denote a very upper-class > guffaw. It also has another resonance for those old enough to remember > World War 2, but I won't mention the war! Yes, don't talk about the war!! Auf geht's... I mean, would you come with me, please?? <BASIL!!!> <har har> Andreas Waldenburger skrev: > OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a > somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such > as I) will interpret this the way I intended, especially in context: Danes will too. SignatureBertel, Denmark >OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a >somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >Would "haw haw" have been more appropriate? I didn't much think about >it, but "har har" seems dryer, more emotionless, which was the intent. Lord Haw Haw was the nickname of an English-speaking Nazi propaganda broadcaster. I don't think the people who used it thought he was very funny. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk Steve Hayes wrote, in <r2bk26dsgfbt7mp8nh64dkq6657dim8glq@4ax.com> on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:26:18 +0200: > >OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a > >somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Lord Haw Haw was the nickname of an English-speaking Nazi propaganda > broadcaster. I don't think the people who used it thought he was very funny. Oh yes they did. He was an object of ridicule at the time. SignatureNick Spalding BrE/IrE Steve wrote on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:26:18 +0200: >> OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the >> impression of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >> much think about it, but "har har" seems dryer, more >> emotionless, which was the intent. > Lord Haw Haw was the nickname of an English-speaking Nazi > propaganda broadcaster. I don't think the people who used it > thought he was very funny. The listeners reacted in way I've sometimes wished on present-day broadcasters; they hanged him. SignatureJames Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not > Steve wrote on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:26:18 +0200: > [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >The listeners reacted in way I've sometimes wished on present-day >broadcasters; they hanged him. After a trial. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) Peter Duncanson (BrE) skrev: > >The listeners reacted in way I've sometimes wished on present-day > >broadcasters; they hanged him. > After a trial. Some broadcasters are a trial. SignatureBertel, Denmark > Some broadcasters are a trial. And *you* are a tribulation. Signature~~~ Reinhold {Rey} Aman ~~~ "El hombre es tantas veces hombre cuanto es el número de lenguas que ha aprendido". -- Carlos I (Rey de España) >>OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression of a >>somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that Germans (such [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >Lord Haw Haw was the nickname of an English-speaking Nazi propaganda >broadcaster. I don't think the people who used it thought he was very funny. The idea of the nickname was to belittle the broadcasters (plural). The most famous was William Joyce. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Haw-Haw His last broadcast: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/vohawhaw.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Joyce Although listening to his broadcasts was officially discouraged (but not illegal), they became very popular with the British public. The German broadcasts always began with the announcer's words "Germany calling, Germany calling, Germany calling" (because of a nasal drawl this sounded like: Jairmany calling). These broadcasts urged the British people to surrender, and were well known for their jeering, sarcastic and menacing tone. There was also a desire by civilian listeners to hear what the other side was saying, since information during wartime was strictly censored and restricted and at the start of the war it was possible for German broadcasts to be more informative than those of the BBC. This was a scenario which reversed towards the middle of the war, with German civilians tuning (usually secretly) to the BBC.[citation needed] During the war and possibly for a time after small boys when playing at sending radio messages to one another would hold an imaginary microphone and say into it "Germany calling, Germany calling". I heard an instance of that many just a few years ago. There was a TV documentary about a trip to an African country by Rev. Ian Paisley to visit members of his church there. He was collected at the airport and taken up-country in a car with another car in front carrying the rest of the group that had met him. They had walkie-talkie radios for communicationg between the cars. At one point Paisley held the radio and smilingly launched into "Germany calling...". The others in the cars looked baffled. The voiceover commentary gave no explanantion or comment. Big Ian had briefly reenacted his childhood. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) > OK, so in this other post I wrote "Har har" to give the impression > of a somewhat laconic, sarcastic laugh. I'm fairly certain that [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > about it, but "har har" seems dryer, more emotionless, which was > the intent. The Urban Dictionary, FWIW: "A sarcastic, yet respectful laugh most notably used over the internet." You can get that on a stein, still without the comma. http://www.urbandictionary.com/products.php?term=har%20har&defid=267512 > The Urban Dictionary, FWIW: >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > You can get that on a stein, still without the comma. > http://www.urbandictionary.com/products.php?term=har%20har&defid=267512 Teehee. Signature--- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: Saw a crawdad big as a whale: :|| ||: Jesus bugs f.cking -- I was on their scale. :|| Joe Fineman filted: >> The Urban Dictionary, FWIW: >>> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >Teehee. What have you got for "har de har har", familiar to some as the sarcastic laugh of Jackie Gleason's "Ralph Kramden" character from "The Honeymooners", and later appropriated for the name of a depressive hyena in a series of Hanna-Barbera cartoons?...r Signature- Hide quoted text - and - Show quoted text - are registered trademarks of Google Groups and cannot be used without express written permission of the trademark holder. >The Urban Dictionary, FWIW: >> >"A sarcastic, yet respectful laugh most notably used over the >internet." That sounds like a contradiction in terms. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk > >The Urban Dictionary, FWIW: > >> > >"A sarcastic, yet respectful laugh most notably used over the > >internet." > > That sounds like a contradiction in terms. That's the old pondal thing -- Yank sarcasm is Brit irony. Can you imagine "ironic, yet respectful"? SignatureBest -- Donna Richoux |
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