I know, but it's fun OK?!
Actually it is noticeable on things like chat lists where murkins
seem somewhat less likely to identify ironic statements without other
cues (strictly anecdotal evidence, no rigor).
Something like Seinfeld relied heavily on irony but you'll note that
it always began with a little stand-up as if to say- "all that
follows this is a joke, right?"
Americans 'get' irony just fine, so long as it's signalled.
I've posted before my thesis on this effect.
The argument goes something like this -
1. For Brits and many Europeans, irony is the standard mode of speech.
2. For Americans, it is not – they use a more direct mode.
3. Consequently, Europeans tend to see murrkins as a bit simple or
gullible and
4. Murkins see Europeans as devious and deceitful.
I'm sure that the Romans had similar problems with the Greeks.
Oddly, many Brits (including my father) regard Australians as boorish
and uncultured, despite the fact that we use irony even more, drink
decent wine, our parliamentarians are far better behaved in the
house, most of the senior Arts positions in Lunnen are held by expat
Australians and we only keep making those bloody awful, childish,
superannuated soap operas because the English keep buying them. Even
the kids don't bother to watch them here. Oh, and we expect our
politicians to lie to us because we know that they don't have a
choice and don't really give a bugger whether they're religious or
not or who they're sleeping with. So there.
That probably destroys my argument too.
Andrew Fildes
afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 17/08/2007, at 5:51 AM, Winsor Crosby wrote:
> Actually I think that the lack of ironical understanding in Americans
> is over sold. Often it is rude and mean spirited, a way to establish
> a pecking order, to "one up" someone you have contempt for, or
> someone who has too much power to confront directly. Even if it is
> not that type, one usually recognizes it as such, is not amused and
> lets it pass without comment.
>
> I suppose that the acceptance of statements by our government that
> could not possibly be true completely destroys my argument though.
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