Jokes: Is it a good way of learning a language?

Guest   Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:24 pm GMT
Getting the punch of jokes is the last stage in learning a language experts say.
Wouldn't it be better to learn from them at the very start of the learning.
For instant do you understand these in spanish:
1)Dos amigas charlaban y una le dice a la otra:
Después de 6 años de novios, mi novio acaba de hablarme de matrimonio.
Y la otra le pregunta:
¿Y qué te dijo?
Que tiene esposa y dos hijos.
2)Le pregunta el marido a su mujer:
- María, si ganaras 500 millones en la lotería, ¿me dejarías de querer?
- No, mi vida. Pero te echaría mucho de menos.
3)Un paciente entra en la consulta del médico.
Doctor: - ¿Qué es lo que le ha traído por aquí?
Paciente - Una ambulancia, ¿por qué?
4)- Doctor, doctor, no puedo recordar nada.
- Vaya, y desde cuando tiene usted este problema?
- ¿Qué problema?
5)Esto es un misionero que está en plena selva y se encuentra de bruces con un león que estaba casi muerto de hambre.
El misionero se asusta y se pone de rodillas. Empezando a rezar dice:
- Padre, infunde a este pobre león sentimientos cristianos.
...Se oye un silencio...
y de buenas a primeras el león se pone de rodillas, diciendo:
- Padre, bendice estos alimentos que voy a recibir...
Skippy   Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:02 pm GMT
The problem with most jokes is that you have to have a good sense of timing... Which is difficult in one's native language and extremely difficult in other languages... I'm not sure, but I'd assume jokes or puns or sayings would be a good way of LEARNING bits of a language, but you wouldn't necessarily expect to become a great joke teller.
Guest   Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:29 pm GMT
Those jokes are 'international jokes', I've heard them all before in other languages, and are much easier to understand than 'language specific jokes', ie ones which use word play, which require a much deeper knowledge of the language.
Tobias from Denmark   Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:59 pm GMT
I guess it differs from language to language. Humour is for example very important in the Danish language. At the same time, Danish humour can be quite hard to understand. It is often based on irony or sarcasm and for a foreigner, it can easily be misunderstood as the Dane talking to you is being rude when he or she is actually trying to make a joke. And vice versa of course.

I think my point is, that as soon as you have a basic vocabulary it is a good idea to learn to understand and use the humour specific to the language/culture you are studying.
Guest   Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:22 pm GMT
Could you tell us Danish jokes?