Sorry, We're British

“The problem with the English is you never know when they are joking or being serious.”

Sorry, we’re British

Stiff upper lip? Confusing? Infuriating? and obvious jokes. speed up the chat and quickly change the In my view it’s not necessarily unique, direction of the conversation. It can also be The British like to think they have a but an interesting study in 2008 by scien- used in a business situation to distract unique sense of humour, but humour is of tists identified a strong genetic predisposi- course a universal human experience. So is from issues, avoid replying to your ques- tion to negative humour in the UK, such there something about British humour that tions or give you feedback – so be aware! as sarcasm and teasing. makes it different? Here are my thoughts on the key ingre- In work situations it is used to lighten Humour comes up everywhere in the dients that make up British humour: things up when discussions get serious, UK, in all parts of social and work life. It pops up in the most unlikely places, in- WITTY COMMENTS cluding in what appears to be the most se- Bring to mind Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, rious of business meetings and particularly Caitlin Moran and Stephen Fry, and you in times of crisis. Just look at the range of have British witty comments at their pin- coronavirus humour that came up in the nacle. It’s a particular blend of dry hu- past year. mour, served with the merest hint of a The British seem to value it highly, but it raised eyebrow. One of my favourite comic can be hard to define and British people characters has to be Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s can rarely explain it to you. The most important thing to realise is Fleabag in her asides to camera, which is that although a British person is trying to for me one of the sharpest modern come- be funny, this can be disconnected from dies. their facial expressions and body language, “ I would challenge you to a battle of so it is not immediately obvious. At most wits, but I see you are unarmed.” you may see smirks, small smiles or a facial SHAKESPEARE twitch, but not big belly laughs and loud “ You can never be overdressed or roars of laughter. Likewise, the humour overeducated.” OSCAR WILDE tends to be subtle and you may have to read between the lines to understand it. It’s “ Don’t make me an optimist, you will Fleabag certainly not about sharing big anecdotes ruin my life.” FLEABAG www.focus-info.org FOCUS The Magazine 9 Shelock Holmes

REAL-LIFE HUMOUR IRONY, SARCASM AND comedy sits in this category such as UNDERSTATEMENT Like a lot of cultures, the British like to Blackadder, Monty Python, Alan Partridge find humour in the everyday normal and This seems to be the key to British humour and Mr Bean, – the last of which relies al- mundane. For insight into the comedy of DNA and it’s the part that is also the most most completely on non-verbal humour. the workplace, great examples are The confusing as language can be used deliber- The loveable fool includes characters we Office (British version) and BBC’s W1A, ately to be clever, play with meanings and cannot help but love and laugh at simulta- which was a mock ‘real life’ drama shad- confuse. Watch Sherlock to see how supe- neously – a great example of this is Del owing the management team in the BBC. rior sarcasm works and Paul Hollywood Boy from the 1980s comedy Only Fools The British like to make fun of people giving feedback to contestants in The Great and Horses with his pretensions and who are too arrogant or self-important, British Bake Off to understand irony and money-making games. and you get a real sense of the subtle understatement with a serious face. “Mange tout” – a classic Del Boy phrase, looks, body language and sarcasm that is Alternatively, follow on Twitter Very which he thinks means “no problem.” at play. British Problems (@SoVeryBritish) for a “I am a black belt in origami.” DEL BOY Interestingly The Office series was re- good insight into this style of humour. made for the US because the key protago- nist in the UK version, David Brent, was “Is it nice not being me? It must be so PLAYING ON REGIONAL relaxing.” SHERLOCK HOLMES seen as too negative and unlikeable when INDIVIDUALITY AND ACCENTS it piloted compared with Michael Scott’s Although not overtly set up as comedies, character in the US version. Another in- THE ECCENTRIC OR stance of British negative humour at play. you only have to watch The Only Way is LOVEABLE FOOL For real-life humour at home and so- Essex (also known as TOWIE), Made in cially, see Motherland for cutting humour, A classic archetype, the British wouldn’t Chelsea to see regional differences and ac- mocking middle-class parenthood in blink twice if somebody walked down the cents as the subject of humour. These pro- north London; plus the excellent Chewing street almost naked, and this acceptance of grammes are ‘reality’ shows with some level Gum, which covers class, religion, family, everybody as they are, no matter how of scripting. The longevity of the series tes- friendship and sex for a Black woman in bizarre, absurd or surreal, comes through tifies to their popularity as a number of east London. strongly in humour as well. Classic British phrases and words have entered our everyday language, such as ‘obvs’ = obviously. For a deeper insight into British country life, I recommend the pretend reality comedy show This Country, which gives a com- edic view of young people in village life.

SELF-MOCKING AND SELF-DEPRECATION The British like important people, major celebrities and leaders to be modest and humble (at least in appearances); and arro- gance, showing off and aggressive self-pro- motion are viewed very negatively. British people prefer it when these types don’t take themselves too seriously and can laugh at themselves, which makes them more human and relatable. Even the Queen

10 FOCUS The Magazine January/February 2021 www.focus-info.org The Queen & James Bond Smithy and Gavin

Victoria Rennoldson founded Perfect know this, as shown when she played her- private jokes, references to previous con- Cuppa English to offer bespoke English self in a Bond sketch for the opening cere- versations and cultural contexts, or a play language and British culture training for mony of the 2012 Olympic Games in the on words. To get some sense of how it international professionals and partners UK. Although Hugh Grant is not a come- works, look at characters Smithy and who want to speak English more dian, his style of comic acting is the ulti- Gavin in the comedy Gavin and Stacey, or conﬁdently, communicate naturally and understand British culture. She is a regular mate embodiment of this self-mocking and the interaction between characters Mark speaker and writer on British English and self-deprecating style. and Jez in Peep Show. culture for London’s international So there you have it, an insight into BANTER AND TEASING: professional and community groups as British humour and how it works. Tell me well as a regular contributor to FOCUS You will see this in action in the pub when who or what makes you laugh and what magazine and events programme. friends get together, but even in some defines British humour for you by drop- You can get in touch with her at British meetings. It’s a hard type of hu- ping me a line: www.linkedin.com/in/victo- [email protected], mour to decode and it particularly relies on ria-rennoldson. www.perfectcuppaenglish.co.uk.