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I think I understand a lot, but I do not speak very well But you are right about knowing/not knowing cultural references. Sometimes it is tough to find out what characters talk about. I have noticed that there are several things Americans mention almost in every TV show. I do not why but it seems to me that they are obsessed with colonoscopy
I had to laugh when I read this, because I honestly cannot remember a single American comedy that included anything about a colonoscopy...though it probably just didn't make any sort of impression on me.
There's currently a big push in the US for everyone to have a colonoscopy when they turn fifty. There are many YouTube videos on the subject - many of which are absolutely hilarious. My husband and I both had colonoscopies this past winter - and yes, they offer a lot of opportunities for humor!
So I guess that's why there are many references to them - though like I said, I can't even recall one on a US show.
I had to laugh when I read this, because I honestly cannot remember a single American comedy that included anything about a colonoscopy...though it probably just didn't make any sort of impression on me.
There's currently a big push in the US for everyone to have a colonoscopy when they turn fifty. There are many YouTube videos on the subject - many of which are absolutely hilarious. My husband and I both had colonoscopies this past winter - and yes, they offer a lot of opportunities for humor!
So I guess that's why there are many references to them - though like I said, I can't even recall one on a US show.
For example The Big Bang Theory. You can hear about a colonoscopy there all the time
We are showered by american tv and some swedish tv shows looks a little too much towards the US. There´s lots of british tv too, many "documentaries" like Help, my penis is too small or Help, my boobs are too big.
Luckily we have the government owned SVT that sometimes shows movies and series from other parts of the world.
The bad thing is that they have begun to behave more and more like a commercial channel.
Well, it's probably funny to some people, but that show is not one of the ones I watch.
I'll tell you what's awful though - an old spaghetti western, or WORSE YET - an ELVIS movie - dubbed in German.
However, those ARE pretty fun to watch while drinking with friends.
Almost everything dubbed in German sounds awful because the language sounds kind of aggressive. But it´s just my opinion and I don´t want to hurt anybody´s feelings
I watch sitcoms cause it´s the best way of learning English, especially slang. We are not taught slang at school. Both watching and hearing English gives a lot to somebody who is not a native speaker. I hope you understand what I mean :-)
I watch sitcoms cause it´s the best way of learning English, especially slang. We are not taught slang at school. Both watching and hearing English gives a lot to somebody who is not a native speaker. I hope you understand what I mean :-)
Definitely, that's why I'm glad we have subtitles and not dubbing. I always pay attention to the way people speak when I'm watching a TV show in English, especially when they're using slang. When I listen to music on YouTube, I always look up the video with lyrics. When I read an English text and I come across a word I'm unfamiliar with, I look it up instantly. I learn new words every day. Just these past two days I've added propitious, nexus, to adumbrate, restiveness, nascent and echelon to my vocabulary
Ugh, we have that show in The Netherlands too (called "This Is My Body"). A lot of British/American reality shows are re-made in Dutch. Hotter Than My Daughter (love that show ), Obese, Jersey Shore, Super Nanny, Wife Swap, X-Factor, [Holland's] Got Talent, etc. Then again, we gave the world Big Brother and The Voice
Definitely, that's why I'm glad we have subtitles and not dubbing. I always pay attention to the way people speak when I'm watching a TV show in English, especially when they're using slang. When I listen to music on YouTube, I always look up the video with lyrics. When I read an English text and I come across a word I'm unfamiliar with, I look it up instantly. I learn new words every day. Just these past two days I've added propitious, nexus, to adumbrate, restiveness, nascent and echelon to my vocabulary
Nexus, nascent? I have to check my dictionary :-) Two days ago I "discovered" a fantastic idiom: "take everything but the kitchen sink". Explanation: when people go for example on holiday they intend to pack stuff they don´t need. And then you can say "My boyfriend takes everything but the kitchen sink and I don´t know where to stuff it all into our miniature car".
No, I meant 'moany' in the literal sense. It sounds like they're moaning when they're speaking It sounds very weird and unnatural. I don't know why they do that.
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That was awesome... in a really hilarious kind of way. I think the sound of their voices is an attempt to sound more like amerikans speaking German. Where some Euro languages make connections between their words, american english typically/sometimes uses all the letters of their words. Kinda like chewing a steak and shouting at the same time. And very little of that gutteral stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neuling
Yes, basically it is a matter of being fluent enough in English. If you are, you will understand most comedy stuff as well as the humor itself is not that clever. The only exception are cultural references which we don't know abroad.
American comedy used to be better. Now most of it is just gutter humor like one liners and sight gags. Euro humor, being more traditional is developed and plays on itself. It takes an attentive audience. Not something we 'merikans do very well.
Nexus, nascent? I have to check my dictionary :-) Two days ago I "discovered" a fantastic idiom: "take everything but the kitchen sink". Explanation: when people go for example on holiday they intend to pack stuff they don´t need. And then you can say "My boyfriend takes everything but the kitchen sink and I don´t know where to stuff it all into our miniature car".
See, they don't teach that in school, do they? Or how about "the greatest thing since sliced bread", the first time I heard that I thought to myself, what's so great about sliced bread? Apparently it comes from an old advertisement.
Btw, nexus means link or connection and nascent means coming into existence, IIRC. Saves you some time
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But you are right about knowing/not knowing cultural references. Sometimes it is tough to find out what characters talk about. I have noticed that there are several things Americans mention almost in every TV show. I do not why but it seems to me that they are obsessed with colonoscopy 
Apparently it comes from an old advertisement.
