s - Wyższa Szkoła Filologiczna we Wrocławiu

Laughing at or with? Humor as no laughing (cultural) matter 89
The African doesn’t understand. The Russian throws the line again, and yells: “Держи
лину!”
The African doesn’t move. The Russian asks:
– Говори́ [sic! popr. говори́шь] по русский? [“Do you speak Russian?”]
Silence.
– Parlez vous francais? [French: “Do you speak French?”]
Silence.
– Sprechen Sie Deutsch?[German: “Do you speak German?”]
Silence.
– Do you speak English?
– Yes, I do!
– Но, то держи лину! [Russian: “Then grab the line!”]
In: http://www.okazyjny.pl/dowcipy,rosja_i_rosjanie,76.html ED 01/2011.
The Shakespeare joke
Anglik udowadnia Polakowi, że jego język [sic] jest najtrudniejszy.
– Na przyklad u nas pisze się Shakespeare, a czyta Szekspir
– To jeszcze nic. W Polsce pisze się Boleslaw Prus, a czyta Aleksander Głowacki.]
[An Englishman tries to prove to the Pole that it is his language which is the most difficult:
– For example, we write Shakespeare, and read [ʹʃekspɪə].
– That’s but nothing. In Poland, we write Bolesław Prus, and read Aleksander Głowacki.]
In: http://www.duzohumoru.pl/ ED 01/2011.
The Supplies joke
An Italian, a Scotsman, and a Chinese fellow were hired at a construction site. The foreman
pointed out a huge pile of sand and told the Italian guy, "You're in charge of sweeping." To
the Scotsman he said, “You're in charge of shoveling.” And to the Chinese guy, "You're in
charge of supplies.”
He then said, “Now, I have to leave for a little while. I expect you guys to make a dent in that
there pile."
The foreman went away for a of couple hours, and, when he returned, the pile of sand was
untouched. He asked the Italian, “Why didn't you sweep any of it?" The Italian replied, “I no
hava no broom. You said to the Chinese fella that he a wasa in a charge of supplies, but he
hasa disappeared and I no coulda finda him nowhere.” Then the foreman turned to the
Scotsman and said, “And you, I thought I told you to shovel this pile.’
The Scotsman replied, “Aye, ye did lad, boot ah couldnay get meself a shoovel! Ye left th'
Chinese gadgie in chairge of supplies, boot ah couldnay fin' him either.” The foreman was
really angry by now and stormed off toward the pile of sand to look for the Chinese guy.
Just then, the Chinese guy jumped out from behind the pile of sand and yelled...
“SUPPLIES!!”
In: http://www.chinesejokes.net/jokes.php?action=read&joke=1160 ED 01/2011.
The Washington joke
An American: “A lie never passed through the lips of George Washington.”
A British: “No, because he spoke through the nose, like the rest of you.”
In: Davies 1990, 57.