Jessica在北京学汉语,她的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词,就会来请教她。今天是Luis要问的:冷幽默。
LZ:Jessica, you won't believe it! Last night, I met the funniest guy ever!
Jessica:No way! 他怎么好玩儿了?Did he wear bunny ears?
LZ:头上戴着兔耳朵?这种是幼儿园级的搞笑,没劲! 这人的特点是,每句话都特逗,可是自己从来不笑! 对了,这种冷幽默在美语里要怎么说呢?
Jessica:We call that dry humor. with dry humor, the emphasis is not on funny facial expressions or exaggerated body moves, rather, it's the joke itself that's really humorous.
LZ:dry humor, 不靠夸张的表情和动作,纯粹靠笑话本身好笑。The guy I was talking about did have a dry sense of humor.
Jessica:I bet he kept a straight face while telling jokes that made everyone else laugh their pants off!
LZ:exactly! 别人都笑翻了,就他自己面无表情地继续讲。这人的冷幽默在party上特受人欢迎。以前大家为了找乐子,顶多就是讲几个荤段子。哎?这“荤段子”又要怎么说呢?
Jessica:We call them "off-color jokes." The most common off-color jokes are about sex, but they can also touch on violence, ethnic groups or other impolite topics.
LZ:原来荤段子就是off-color jokes, 除了情色内容,还可以是别的有冒犯性的话题。
Jessica:Off-color jokes can be really offensive to those who aren't that close to you or don't share your sense of humor. So, use them carefully.
LZ:没错,讲荤段子得分对什么人,不熟的朋友可别讲! 啊,说了这么多段子,幽默,我真是跃跃欲试!
Jessica:What? Give what a try?
LZ:我本来就是个特有幽默感的人,我觉得我能成一单口相声演员!
Jessica:A standup comedian? You?
LZ:原来, Standup comedian 就是单口相声演员,那行,I'll make standup comedian one of my career goals!
Jessica:Is this dry humor? 'Cos I didn't get it!
LZ:今天我们学了,冷幽默是dry humor; 荤段子off-color jokes; 单口相声演员是standup comedian.