Contents From Toledo to Timbuktu 4 Translating Laughter 8 You are so Punny Metaphorically Speaking 12 16 Cinnamon and Antonia 20 Around the World Fun and Games 24 Your Guide to Funny 28 Glossary Index 32
Chapter 1 From Toledo to Timbuktu Have you ever noticed that laughter looks and sounds similar all around the world No matter where we’re from we all get a kick out of people and situations that are funny Whether you’re in Toledo or Timbuktu laughter is pretty recognizable Regardless of what language we speak we can tell when another person is happy and laughing Many researchers who study laughter say that it sounds and looks the way it does for an important reason laughter helps us feel connected to one another It turns out laughter is one thing that bonds us together Earth is a big place Our planet is home to many different cultures and traditions There are thousands of different languages but there is one that we are all familiar with laughter The language of laughter is universal because we all know that laughter translates to happiness From gut-busting giggles to shy quiet smirks laughing at a joke is something we can all relate to Q Where do pencils go on vacation APencilvania 4
CULTURALLY SENSITIVE While laughing can bring us together sometimes understanding a joke from another culture can be tricky This is because jokes often evolve from language geography and history For example this joke may be easy for English-language speakers to figure out Q What does a duck do when she buys lipstick on her bill She puts it A What is the longest word in the English language Smiles because there’s a mile between its first and last letters If English isn’t your first language or if you don’t speak English at all it might be difficult to understand why that joke is funny Sometimes jokes are written or told with the purpose of laughing at other people instead of with them This can be really hurtful We need to be especially careful when writing or telling jokes that are directed at other cultures as these jokes can often reflect stereotypes instead of reality FuNnY BoNe A smile doesn’t always mean someone is happy or something is funny In some Asian cultures a smile can mean a person is sad embarrassed or uncomfortable In North America a smile is seen as a sign of happiness but people will often smile in photos even if they aren’t happy Research shows that men also smile less than women 5
