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Post by fridaycat on Mar 24, 2016 10:49:26 GMT
I'm writing an article for our local newspaper about a couple celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. They were pleasure to interview . . . both able bodied and sharp as tacks. They seemed very much in their 60s and not their late 80s. Anyhow . . .
His quick wit and dry sense of humor were very very funny and I want to mention that in my opening sentence. However I want to be sure having a "dry sense of humor" is viewed as being a compliment, an endearing thing, not as a negative.
What do you all think? And if you think it's a negative do you have another suggestion?
Thank you so much!
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gsquaredmom
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Post by gsquaredmom on Mar 24, 2016 10:57:41 GMT
I think there are negative connotations to it. Why not just say he has a terrific sense of humor? Readers are unlikely to meet him. It's not an ad. Humor is subjective, anyway.
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Post by gar on Mar 24, 2016 11:06:05 GMT
I would think of it as a compliment
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Mar 24, 2016 11:07:54 GMT
say he has a terrific sense of humor This is a good suggestion.
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Post by fridaycat on Mar 24, 2016 11:10:24 GMT
I think there are negative connotations to it. Why not just say he has a terrific sense of humor? Readers are unlikely to meet him. It's not an ad. Humor is subjective, anyway. Good thought on just using the word "terrific." And you're very right, humor is subjective. Maybe that's why I'm struggling with how to "capture" him AND leaving my opinion out of it.
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Post by fridaycat on Mar 24, 2016 11:12:15 GMT
I would think of it as a compliment I would also, but I enjoy that type of humor.
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gsquaredmom
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Post by gsquaredmom on Mar 24, 2016 11:14:41 GMT
I also think there are people who don't know what the phrase means, especially US readers. I think it is more a British term than US term.
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nopeaq
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Post by nopeaq on Mar 24, 2016 11:15:20 GMT
I would take it as a compliment, then again it could be because my second grade report card's handwritten comments include: "We enjoy Nopeaq's dry sense of humor."
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 24, 2016 11:16:24 GMT
I would think of it as a compliment I would also, but I enjoy that type of humor. Same for me. Many of my favorite friends have that type of wit
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Mar 24, 2016 11:16:28 GMT
I think of it as a compliment because I assume it implies an underlying intelligence to the humor. Dry humor seems more based on a wry take on life that finds that "edge" in it. It's polar opposite would be more physically based slap-stick humor like a pratfall.
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anniebygaslight
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Post by anniebygaslight on Mar 24, 2016 11:18:56 GMT
I also think there are people who don't know what the phrase means, especially US readers. I think it is more a British term than US term. I think you might be right. It would be seen as a compliment here.
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Dalai Mama
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Post by Dalai Mama on Mar 24, 2016 11:30:14 GMT
I would think that those that actually have a dry sense of humour, would take it as a compliment.
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Post by melanell on Mar 24, 2016 11:35:27 GMT
I don't view as negative at all. Nor do I really view it as a compliment. It's just a descriptive statement. Like having brown hair vs. red hair, kwim? Although, I guess, if pressed, I would say that it's still a positive thing to say because it tells readers that the person does have a sense of humor, which is definitely preferable over not having one!
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Post by melanell on Mar 24, 2016 11:37:48 GMT
I disagree that US readers wouldn't know what that means. I couldn't even begin to tell you how often I see or hear people described in that manner. It's certainly not an uncommon descriptive phrase. And I definitely don't think it's a negative, either.
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ellen
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Post by ellen on Mar 24, 2016 11:46:35 GMT
It's totally a compliment. My youngest daughter (13) has this type of humor and would make funny observations when she was really little - sometimes we were the subjects. We used to refer to her as the comic in the car seat. She's a pretty quiet kid, but at her recent spring conferences four out of the six teachers we visited mentioned how funny she is. I think she'll always be that way.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2016 11:47:59 GMT
I also disagree that US readers might not know what it means. I hear that phrase frequently and can't imagine anyone I know not knowing it. I would take it as a compliment if I read it in an article. Good for you for trying to best describe the man in a flattering light without offending.
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gsquaredmom
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Post by gsquaredmom on Mar 24, 2016 11:52:31 GMT
And this thread shows why it's a tough phrase for a general newspaper article. The audience cannot be assumed to know it as a positive. I have heard it used positively, but I have also heard it to describe people that others just don't get and cannot relate to because the speaker really does not know what it means. The audience is important. I am not sure a newspaper writer can assume the audience will get the message intended, and it is easy enough to use a different phrase.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Mar 24, 2016 11:53:54 GMT
I meant to say that in my experience it's a quite common descriptive phrase in the US. I see others have already said that as well.
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Post by gar on Mar 24, 2016 11:56:01 GMT
I think of it as a compliment because I assume it implies an underlying intelligence to the humor. Dry humor seems more based on a wry take on life that finds that "edge" in it. It's polar opposite would be more physically based slap-stick humor like a pratfall. Great definition and I completely agree.
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Kerri W
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Post by Kerri W on Mar 24, 2016 11:58:11 GMT
I think it's a very common phrase in the US and readers would be familiar, but I'm not sure it always has a positive connotation. I would ere on the side of caution. While *I* think my husband's dry sense of humor is wickedly funny other people don't always get it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2016 12:06:01 GMT
Chiming in as another who knows 'dry sense of humor' as quite a common phrase in the US and I've never - in all my 50+ years - heard it used negatively. I've only ever known it as a compliment.
L
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Post by auntkelly on Mar 24, 2016 12:17:37 GMT
I would be flattered if someone said I had a dry sense of humor.
I think the phrase "quick witted" is similar, but not quite the same as "having a dry sense of humor."
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BarbaraUK
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Post by BarbaraUK on Mar 24, 2016 12:27:32 GMT
I also think there are people who don't know what the phrase means, especially US readers. I think it is more a British term than US term. It's certainly a very common type of humour here - spoken, written and in cartoons etc., and we would understand the phrase as a compliment if it was used in a UK newspaper article.
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gsquaredmom
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Post by gsquaredmom on Mar 24, 2016 12:31:50 GMT
I also think there are people who don't know what the phrase means, especially US readers. I think it is more a British term than US term. It's certainly a very common type of humour here - spoken, written and in cartoons etc., and we would understand the phrase as compliment if it was used in a UK newspaper article. I know you would. My husband is a half Brit, so we use the phrase often. I find myself biting my tongue around others who obviously don't really know what it means and they use it as a way of saying someone is unusual or does not fit in.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2016 12:38:08 GMT
I have been told I have one. I don't mind, but I would not want it in the newspaper.
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Post by leftturnonly on Mar 24, 2016 12:39:42 GMT
I think of it as a compliment because I assume it implies an underlying intelligence to the humor. Dry humor seems more based on a wry take on life that finds that "edge" in it. A really dry wit definitely implies intelligence. I think there are negative connotations to it. Why not just say he has a terrific sense of humor? Readers are unlikely to meet him. It's not an ad. Humor is subjective, anyway. That's nowhere near as descriptive while still being subjective. I also think there are people who don't know what the phrase means, especially US readers. I think it is more a British term than US term. It's a pretty common term. We've a lot of British dry-witted DNA here.
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Post by mommaho on Mar 24, 2016 12:42:48 GMT
I love a dry sense of humor but not everyone 'gets it'! I would write it as you experienced it and as others have said, his family and friends will appreciate you saw that in him!
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Post by mlynn on Mar 24, 2016 12:45:30 GMT
Definitely a compliment - especially after googling.
You could use a phrase such as:
delightful(ly) dry sense of humor pleasant sense of humor
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Post by leftturnonly on Mar 24, 2016 12:49:19 GMT
I would be flattered if someone said I had a dry sense of humor. I think the phrase "quick witted" is similar, but not quite the same as "having a dry sense of humor." They often run together, but they sleep in different beds when they go home at night.
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grinningcat
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Post by grinningcat on Mar 24, 2016 12:58:02 GMT
Compliment. Anyone who finds it insulting may not have a sense of humour or just a bee stuck in their bonnet. What an odd thing for someone to be offended by... but really people get offended at the stupidest things these days.
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