Découvrez les articles avec le tag : Cultural

What makes people laugh in one country may leave others cold, or even cause misunderstandings. Humour is one of the most sensitive reflections of a culture: it depends on language, history, taboos and social codes. Understanding the humour of a language means gaining access to a form of cultural complicity. Types of humour vary from one culture to another.  British humour plays on absurdity and self-deprecation. In France, we love puns and satire. In Japan, the comedy duo ‘manzai’ is based on the contrasting roles of the “boke” (the naive one) and the ‘tsukkomi’ (the one who corrects). In Russia, black humour often reflects the trials and tribulations of history. What may shock or disturb Making jokes about politics, religion or family is tolerated in some countries, but taboo in others. Misunderstandings often arise from these cultural differences. A harmless sketch in one language can become offensive when translated literally. The codes of the implicit and the unspoken  Some cultures value indirect humour, double meanings and subtle irony. Others prefer visual humour or caricature. Understanding the rules of linguistic play is essential to grasping the intention behind a joke. Why humour brings people together  Laughing together creates a bond. Knowing how to use (or at least understand) humour in another language means entering into social intimacy. It requires finesse, observation, and a good dose of self-deprecation too!   Humour is a powerful cultural key. With Globespeaker, you learn a language in context, with its codes and subtleties. Sometimes it makes you laugh, but above all, it helps you understand others better.