Types of Humor and Jokes
Humor is closely related to culture so it can vary greatly across languages. What might be funny in one culture, may not be funny in another culture. Even within a culture, types of humor can vary, and there are certainly different norms about what is humorous across the many different cultures that speak English in the world. Since humor often relates to societal norms or stereotypes, be careful about using humor so you don't offend people.
Here are some common types of humor used in American culture. Understanding these types can help identify when someone is trying to be funny or why people laugh at something.
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is when you say something but mean the opposite. Your voice is usually lower and you say words more slowly to show you are saying something sarcastically.
Examples:
- Someone spills coffee all over her desk and says "I'm having such a great day."
- Your roommate didn't study for a test and got a bad grade. Another friend says "Well what a surprise!"
- A student comments about something that everyone already noticed and another student says "Thanks, Captain Obvious!"
Watch this video to learn more about using sarcasm. The video refers to sarcasm in the United Kingdom but also applies to situations in the United States.
Puns
A pun is when you make a joke using a word that has multiple meanings, or two different words that sound very similar.
Examples:
- A library has several floors because it's a multi-story building.
(story = floor of a building AND book) - The grammar teacher was very logical. She had a lot of comma sense.
(comma = punctuation, but also sounds like "common") - You say you ate eggs for breakfast, and your friend asks "Were they eggstraordinary?"
(extraordinary sounds like eggstraordinary, which is a made-up word)
Sometimes people say something and then realize the word they used has two meanings that could work in that sentence. They might then say "No pun intended" to show they accidentally made a pun.
Example:
- In my chemistry class we have quizzes periodically. No pun intended.
(periodically = occasionally, but it can also describe the periodic table of elements commonly used in chemistry)
Dad Jokes
Dad jokes get their name from being commonly told by dads to their children. They are usually innocent and sometimes predictable, and have a reputation for being only mildly funny, or childish. People besides dads tell these jokes, but they are often pointed out to be "dad jokes" because they are the types of jokes your dad might say. Dad jokes are often puns, but can also be other silly wordplay or pretend misunderstandings.
Examples:
- Someone ask "Did you get a haircut?" and the dad replies "No, I got all of them cut."
(misunderstanding "a haircut" to mean "one hair was cut") - Someone says "I'm hungry" and the dad replies "Hello, Hungry, nice to meet you."
(misunderstanding "I'm hungry" to be someone introducing their name as Hungry" - Someone says "My nose is running" and the dad replies "You better go catch it!"
(misunderstanding a drippy nose for a nose that literally runs away off your face)
Self-Deprecating Humor
Self-deprecating humor is when someone makes a comment that makes fun of themselves. Sometimes it can be a little exaggerated, what might be called dark humor.
Examples:
- Do you know that feeling when you meet someone and you both fall madly in love with each other? Yeah, me neither.
(No one has ever been madly in love with me.) - I finally figured out the reason I look so bad in photos. It's my face.
- My life feels like a test I did not study for.
- Could my hair look any worse in this selfie?
Dark Humor
Dark humor is a joke about a sensitive, taboo, or serious subject. Examples would be joking about a car accident, racism, or death.
Memes
Memes are funny images with text on them that are shared widely on social media. Often people change the text to continue making jokes with the same image.
If you see a meme or vine you don’t understand, you can Google the phrase or Google a keyword from the phrase + meme to learn what it means, or you can ask a friend to explain it. The more you follow American social media the more you will see (and start to understand) popular memes.
Knock-Knock Jokes
Knock-knock jokes are silly, formulaic jokes. When you use them, it is obvious to others that you are telling a joke. They are popular among children and can be seen as a bit childish, like dad jokes. Knock-knock jokes almost always follow this formula:
A: Knock-knock. (like you’re knocking on a door)
B: Who’s there?
A: ____.
B: ____ who?
A: (punchline, which is often a pun based on a word that sounds similar to ____)
Examples:
Knock-knock.
Who’s there?
Boo.
Boo who?
Don’t cry! (‘Boo hoo’ is a phrase people use to imitate crying in English.)
Knock-knock.
Who’s there?
Doris.
Doris who?
Doris open so I thought I’d stop by. (Doris sounds like “door is.”)
Knock-knock.
Who’s there?
Lettuce.
Lettuce who?
Lettuce in, it’s cold out here! (Lettuce sounds like “let us.”)
Why-Did-the-Chicken-Cross-the-Road Jokes
A: Why did the chicken cross the road?
B: I don’t know.
A: To get to the other side.
This joke was originally funny because people expect a punchline, but instead get a factual answer to the question. You can now hear and see many variations on this classic joke. Examples include:
- Why did the fox cross the road? It was looking for the chicken.
(to eat it) - Why did Adele cross the road? To say “Hello from the other side.”
(This is a reference to the song “Hello” by Adele.) - Why did the cow cross the road? To go to the moooo-vies.
(Cows say ‘moo’ in English.) - Why did the fish cross the ocean? To get to the other tide.
- Why did the chicken stop crossing the road? It was tired of everyone making all these jokes.
Change-a-Light Bulb Jokes
This joke always starts with the question “How many ___ does it take to change a light bulb?” The answer will always be something funny or stereotypical about ___. These jokes are often offensive because they are based on stereotypes about a group. Other times, they can be self-deprecating if you are a member of the group that is the subject of the joke.
Examples:
- How many graduate students does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one, but it will take him over five years to do it.
(It takes graduate students many years to finish their studies.) - How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb?
Two: One to change it, and one to change it back again.
(Politicians sometimes contradict each other and work against each other.)