Brit wit

When I attended a conference in Monaco (yes, I did go gambling; no, I didn’t win anything – or I wouldn’t be writing this now – and “no comment” on Albert), I was surprised that many of the sessions were in English. Most were held by native English speakers, a few were held by French, Austrian and German presenters. The quality was high at every session, as was the entertainment factor. However, it was very obvious that the British tried harder than any other nation to amuse as they made their point or sold their products.

Watching so many different nationalities at work confirmed once again what the British say about themselves. They love wit. They particularly like one-liners: these are short, funny statements. Sometimes, they are cutting, sometimes, they are downright insulting, but usually, they make people smile (except for the person they are insulting). The British also like to laugh at themselves, even when they give presentations. Few like the hard sell.

In our exercise this week, we look at some popular British quotes. They can all be found in Brit Wit: The perfect riposte for every social occasion and More Brit Wit (both are available in our SprachenShop).

We recommend that you use these quotes only if you feel very confident about your level of English – and if you can remember them word for word. As you will see in the exercise, changing the quote takes the fun out of it. You could get the kind of laugh you hadn’t expected – or wanted.

Deborah Capras