LAUGHTER KNOWS NO BORDERS… OR DOES IT?

Humor doesn’t travel well across cultures. Discover our translation tips to connect with your international audience while staying funny.

On December 28th, Spain celebrates “Santos Inocentes”. Much like April Fools’ Day, it’s a day of playful pranks, with people hoaxing friends and relatives for a laugh.

Humor is often referred to as a universal language that brings people together. But the fact is, it’s spoken in different ways across the globe.

What you find funny has to do with your cultural heritage and linguistic knowledge. That’s why humor often fails to cross over the cultural divide. Proof of this is the old saying “Humor doesn’t travel well.”

In this blog post, we’ll be analyzing humor in intercultural situations. We’ll also give you tips on how to deal with it to avoid cultural faux pas and misunderstandings.

Humor in Western vs. Eastern cultures.

In Western culture, being funny is often seen as a positive trait. It helps you come across as charming and self-confident. But things take a different turn in the East. For instance, the Chinese are reluctant to show their sense of humor.

While Westerners use humor to break the ice, lighten the mood, or mask emotions, the Eastern approach is different. Humor might be viewed as a lack of professionalism in business settings.

As for irony and sarcasm, they come across as ‘Western’ in many Eastern cultures. The deeply ingrained need to save face and maintain harmony shapes their communication style. With this in mind, it’s hardly surprising that Asians refrain from using these resources.

How humor and laughter vary in different countries.

Laughter may be a universal language, but how we express and appreciate humor is rooted in cultural norms, beliefs, and values.

Let us analyze three different cultures, two of which share the same language:

  • Japan.

In this country, humor is limited to family and friends, and not acceptable with strangers. Also, with Japan placing great importance on hierarchy, humor doesn’t find a place across the social ladder or in formal situations.

Now, what’s humor like in Japan? It’s innocent, harmless fun. The Japanese rarely make jokes at the expense of others. Besides, they steer clear of taboo subjects and dirty jokes.

  • United States.

American humor leans towards individualism. Take stand-up comedy, which is about sharing personal experiences and challenging societal norms.

Techniques such as hyperbole and playful antics are part and parcel of their kind of humor. It’s all about performance and exaggeration. Think of iconic figures like the Marx Brothers or Woody Allen.

  • U.K

British humor is synonymous with clever wit, finding laughs in the subtle and the ironic. Remember Benny Hill and Mr. Bean?

And here’s the twist: despite their prim and proper image, Brits do enjoy the goofy side of humor.

Studies on intercultural humor.

In 2001, psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman conducted research into intercultural humor. His project “LaughLab” aimed to find the world’s funniest joke. In total, 40,000 jokes were rated by over 350,000 people from 70 countries.

Here are some of the conclusions drawn:

  • France, Denmark, and Belgium enjoy surreal humor and jokes on uneasy topics (e.g., death or illness).
  • People from the Republic of Ireland, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand lean towards jokes with clever wordplays.
  • Americans and Canadians favor jokes that portray a strong sense of superiority, often involving characters looking foolish.

Preserving the same sense of humor in another language?

Humor relies on different aspects of language and culture to achieve its purpose: making you laugh. That’s why, when telling a joke in a different language, you’re likely to struggle with:

  • Puns and wordplay.

Let’s start by defining both words:

    • Puns are a form of wordplay, which uses similar-sounding words with different meanings.
    • Wordplay refers to the use of verbal wit to create double meanings and ambiguity. It can include different figures of speech, such as metaphors, neologisms, and alliterations.

Given the nature of wordplay, any equivalence in other languages would be sheer coincidence. Your best bet to translate this sort of humor is to come up with similar words in the target language that can be combined in an equally clever way.

Start by figuring out the resources used in the original text: whether it is a pun, a metaphor, or a rhyme. Understanding the underlying structure of the joke is the first step to crafting a new one in a different language.

  • Cultural references.

When a punchline hinges on something specific to a particular community (e.g., a local politician), the odds are it will get lost in translation.

Leaving the joke as is, hoping the audience will catch on, isn’t the way to go. You could omit it altogether if you see it’s likely to elicit puzzled looks rather than laughter.

And here’s a third option: replace the cultural reference with one from the local culture to convey a similar idea. To produce the same humorous effect:

    • Identify the essence of the joke (i.e., why is it funny in the first place?).
    • Seek an equivalent that will strike a chord with your audience.

How to translate humor.

In a nutshell, you have two options:

  1. Keeping a literal word-for-word translation.

You can include an explanation of the joke or use footnotes (e.g., in a non-fiction book). But bear in mind this won’t convey the spirit of the joke. You’ll find yourself with a flat rendition of what was humorous in the source language.

As American writer E.B. White put it, “Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the purely scientific mind.”

  1. Transcreating the joke.

In other words, adapting the joke so it’s still funny in a new language and resonates with the target culture. This involves changing the words to make sure the original meaning and style are conveyed.

Humor is present in our everyday life. In professional settings, it’s great a way to connect with your clients and build rapport. Our language experts help you nail that funny ice-breaker that set an amicable mood for your business meetings.

Shear it!