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From: "Vanessa L Trampleasure" <>
Subject: Re: Off Topic: National jokes
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 22:04:14 +0100


To try and get this a bit on topic....Todd Johnson's example of a joke
altered to suit the audience brings a question to mind. Most nationalities
seem to have the same stereotypical jokes but they are altered from place to
place American Polak jokes turn up the other side of the Atlantic as Irish
Jokes. The Australians tell jokes about New Zealanders and their affection
for their sheep - the same jokes which are told in England about the Welsh
and Iran about the residents of a particularly rural part of that country.

No doubt these were more local during the Middle Ages - would Londoners
crack yokel jokes about their Kentish or Surrey neighbours? One area in
England which still retains an area of regionalism are the jokes about
Yorkshiremen and their reluctance to part with their money, this has been
overtaken by Scottish variations. Could this be as a result of the
'invasion' following the coronation of James VI/I or has it got older roots,
my Norwegian friends say that when they tell jokes about someone being
tight-fisted the object of the joke is generally a Scot.

Blonde jokes in America would lose their point in Scandinavia and are Essex
girl jokes in England.

No doubt there were a wealth of French Jokes in Medieval England and I am
sure that there must have been a lot of occupational jokes around places
like London. Would Merchant Tailors swap Fishmonger or Goldsmith jokes?

Vanessa Trampleasure
Essex, England

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