The Difference Between American and British Humour

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that Americans don't understand irony. Simon Pegg explores this topic in depth in his article He concludes that this statement isn't true and I am inclined to agree with him.

One of the major differences seems to be how often both nations use irony. Brits use irony on a daily basis, whereas it is not the foundation of American humour. I think Americans understand British irony (most of the time anyway!), what they don't understand is the need to use it so frequently. When Americans use irony they tend to state that they were "only kidding". They feel the need to make a joke more obvious than Brits do, maybe this stems from a fear of offending people.

The American sense of humour is generally more slapstick than that in Britain. I think this arises from a cultural difference between the two. Their jokes are more obvious and forward, a bit like Americans themselves. British jokes, on the other hand, tend to be more subtle but with a dark or sarcastic undertone. There is ...

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