# Do people groan at puns across languages/cultures? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316 "2018-06-02T13:16:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/1 "2018-06-02T13:16:23Z")
In the US, someone making a pun is usually met with groans or eyerolls. It’s generally not considered a low form of humor. I’m curious if that’s a learned behavior affected by how one’s culture views puns, or something more universal to the human experience? Do people worldwide welcome or shun puns? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/2 "2018-06-02T14:23:52Z")
Well, the Old Testament is full of them, and I doubt very many ancient Hebrews were groaning at their holy scriptures. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/3 "2018-06-02T14:31:39Z")
I uttered a weak pun in England and received laughs. My friends insisted they weren’t being polite and actually liked that kind of humor. I still have my doubts. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/4 "2018-06-02T15:00:06Z")
Filipinos love their puns. If it involves two or three different languages, all the better. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/5 "2018-06-02T17:37:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, the Old Testament is full of them, and I doubt very many ancient Hebrews were groaning at their holy scriptures. I can confirm that Israeli humor is very fond of puns and malapropisms, more so than with Americans. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/6 "2018-06-02T18:41:25Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > In the US, someone making a pun is usually met with groans or eyerolls. But are the groans tongue in cheek? They often are for me, if I groan at a pun. > [@](#): > > It’s generally not considered a low form of humor. Huh? Is the “not” supposed to be there? If so, I’m wondering where you get that from. Personally, I think the pun is the pinnacle of humor. It is the _pun_chline of many a joke! ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/7 "2018-06-02T18:58:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Personally, I think the pun is the pinnacle of humor. It is the _pun_chline of many a joke! +1. As a kid, I was always being corrected by authority figures that we’re expected to groan at puns. My natural reaction was to laugh. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/8 "2018-06-02T19:54:20Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > But are the groans tongue in cheek? They often are for me, if I groan at a pun. > > Huh? Is the “not” supposed to be there? If so, I’m wondering where you get that from. Personally, I think the pun is the pinnacle of humor. It is the _pun_chline of many a joke! I mean genuine groans - quite a few people are not in love with puns. And yes, I meant to say not. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/9 "2018-06-02T19:59:51Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I mean genuine groans - quite a few people are not in love with puns. That’s how we identify the reptilian infiltrators from Rigellus III. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/10 "2018-06-02T20:07:38Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Filipinos love their puns. If it involves two or three different languages, all the better. I still enjoy the only one I know, with the pusit and the op-pusit 🙂 (visual cues helped) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/11 "2018-06-02T20:08:25Z")
I read that groaning at puns was the custom amongst ancient Romans. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/12 "2018-06-02T20:09:42Z")
I used puns a lot as a kid. I’m not supposed to anymore because I’m a groan up. I don’t care though. Shakespeare was better than any of those who groan. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/13 "2018-06-02T20:52:58Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I mean genuine groans - quite a few people are not in love with puns. I won’t debate with you here, but I’ll just agree to disagree with you premise which seems to be that in the US we generally frown on puns. > [@](#): > > And yes, I meant to say not. So, if it’s not a low form of humor what is it? A high form of humor would seem to contradict your basic premise. Are you saying it’s not considered any form of humor at all? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/14 "2018-06-02T20:54:09Z")
Japanese has a lot of homophones. So puns are commonplace. [According to this website](https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/japanese-puns/), they produce a range of effects; among these are laughs, a sense of wickedness, and yes groans. In the last case they are called oyaji gyagu 親父ギャグ, or “old man jokes” or Dad jokes according to the website. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/15 "2018-06-02T20:55:49Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > In the US, someone making a pun is usually met with groans or eyerolls. It’s generally not considered a low form of humor. > > I’m curious if that’s a learned behavior affected by how one’s culture views puns, or something more universal to the human experience? > > Do people worldwide welcome or shun puns? In my experience, people generally groan at puns in Scandinavia (or at least in Sweden and Denmark - don’t know about those shifty Norwegians). I know I do. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/16 "2018-06-02T23:39:21Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > I still enjoy the only one I know, with the pusit and the op-pusit 🙂 (visual cues helped) 🙂 Took me a few seconds but remembered hearing it before and LOLed! I don’t know if it’s because of Western influences, but Korean, Chinese and Japanese audiences all groan at bad puns. Good puns as in the U.S. get a hearty laugh! Yes, I watch a lot of (actually more than U.S.) Asian shows. Those who don’t moan and groan at puns don’t get it the first time! ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/17 "2018-06-02T23:46:08Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > In my experience, people generally groan at puns in Scandinavia (or at least in Sweden and Denmark - don’t know about those shifty Norwegians). > > I know I do. But just about anything can be a pun in Danish. All the words are spelled differently, but they all sound like the same little gurgle in the throat. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/18 "2018-06-02T23:46:48Z")
Just remembered something that may not be really a pun, just a play on words. In Hawaii if you hear someone say “I gotta 5 4 4” or just “5 4 4”, it means they need to pee. “5 4 4” in Japanese is go shi shi . shi shi means pee in our local pidgin. Cue the moans and groans! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/19 "2018-06-02T23:48:38Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > In my experience, people generally groan at puns in Scandinavia (or at least in Sweden and Denmark - don’t know about those shifty Norwegians). > > I know I do. In the UK the reaction to a pun ranges from the eye-roll/groan to complete-but-temporary social ostracization, depending how good it is. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316/20 "2018-06-03T00:08:53Z")
It goes back to the Pun-ic wars… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-groan-at-puns-across-languages-cultures/815316.md?page=2)