Becoming an international student to study in the UK brings new experiences- getting acquainted with new people, new locations and getting used to the new culture. British humour can be described as one of the most unexpected cultural aspects that most of the students must deal with. This is something that even UK education consultants often highlight when preparing students for life in the country. It is everywhere, in classrooms, day to day discussions, shows on the TV, even at formal occasions. At some point or another, you may have felt confused when a joke was cracked to which the rest of the people were laughing at something you did not find quite amusing. British humour is a different one than what you are accustomed to, and, with a little bit of awareness, you can start enjoying it and even participating in it.
As a newly arrived international student, the most important tip would be to be observant, be very attentive to what is being said and not to take things in literal sense. It may seem hard at the beginning to understand all the jokes, but with time, you will get to know all the flow and manner.
You could also ensure that you learn to enjoy British humour as this will facilitate your social life. You will notice that people will interact more, they will build friendships quicker, and discussions in classrooms will be more interesting. The insights into the humour can be useful in group work, networking, or everyday talks at the union. In this guide we will be looking into the common versions of British humour and through this guide you shall see examples and be tipped on how best you can feel comfortable.
Find Out What British Humour is Made of
- Self-Deprecation
Self-deprecating humour is one of the most popular traits of the British style of humour, when one makes jokes about himself. It is a form of expressing humility and likability. One can make jokes about oneself such as how he/she cooks badly, acts clumsily or even how he/she appears in a funny way.
Tip to the international students: Do not jump to cheer them up, it is their humour, not seriousness. It is usually just a jovial manner of keeping the situation light.
- Hint to the international students
Do not make it so literal.
Sarcasm and irony play a crucial role in British humour, which, however, is not always apparent. He or she may say just the opposite of what they are really meaning, and this tendency is in the dead straight tone. An illustration would be, in case of pouring rain, and someone saying, “Good weather today!”
What international students should do: Look at situation and expression of the person. Where this statement does not correspond to reality, then it is sarcasm.
- Understatement
British people tend to belittle situations instead of building them up on manufacture scale as an example, the terming of a big issue as a shorts one little bit of a problem is a generalized one.
The Way to Adapt to be a New International Student It is one of the mysteries of their taste of humour.
- In chats, listening and learning is a necessity.
Go and eavesdrop to know how the local students chatter during the typical and daily conversations.
Comedy Programs of Britain Observe the way they respond to the words of one another. After some time, you will see tendencies and repetitive phrases.
- Do Not Be Afraid to Ask
The more traditional, TV shows, such as The IT Crowd, Gavin and Stacey and Would I Lie to You? are excellent examples of humour at work. This is also the best way to learn slang and acculturative references.
- Be Light-hearted
When you do not understand something about a joke, you can always ask some of the people you trust. The majority will be more than willing to explain to you, and you will eventually begin to pick up.
- The significance of power of knowing British humour.
It is not a big deal being unable to understand all jokes initially. Not knowing everything is part of the process of British humour which tends to lionize awkwardness.
- This resembles similarity with classmates and professors.
- An understanding of the British humour is not just about laughing at the right moment. It helps in:
- It makes one become more at ease with relating to people.
- The maturization of language and culture knowledge
- Becoming more comfortable to relate with people
- The enrichment of language and understanding of culture.
Once you adopt the humour style, you will be more self-assured and engaged in your stay in the UK.
