# Women who say "That's funny!" instead of laughing **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 3, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259 "2006-09-03T01:03:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/1 "2006-09-03T01:03:44Z")
I’ve met many women who, instead of laughing at something humorous, will let out a couple of snorts, if that, and say “That’s funny.” I’ve never met a man who says “That’s funny” - they laugh instead. Why do many women say “That’s funny” instead of laughing? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/2 "2006-09-03T01:33:58Z")
This is not intended to be a generalization. But I have known a couple such ladies and have elsewhere seen references that it is to reduce wrinkling. I.e., be a stoneface now and have smoother looking skin when you’re 80. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/3 "2006-09-03T01:37:19Z")
I am one such man. Although I do laugh, it is rare and I will often express amusement by smiling and saying “that’s too funny.” It is because I am a reserved man, a habit of a lifetime. Who can say how such habits are formed? ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/4 "2006-09-03T04:11:32Z")
FWIW, I laughed out loud when I read the title of this thread. (I’m a guy, btw.) ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/5 "2006-09-03T04:41:10Z")
Whenever I told my dad a joke he would say “huh” or “is that right” instead of laughing. I used to try EVERYTHING to make him laugh. I think it was as **Khadaji** said, that he was reserved. But it’s not just women. ---
**Author:** ![ChicanoRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ChicanoRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChicanoRojo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/6 "2006-09-03T05:19:08Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] Why do many women say “That’s funny” instead of laughing? [/QUOTE] WAG, culturally speaking, it is not considered “lady like” to let out a hardy laughter since that’s consider manly trait. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/7 "2006-09-03T11:17:01Z")
You know what? I have noticed that I do this a lot, and _I have no idea why_. I’m not above a hearty laugh, I’m not trying to avoid wrinkles…it just comes out as “That’s hilarious” instead of an actual laugh sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/8 "2006-09-03T11:21:49Z")
My mother frequently says “that’s hysterical” without laughing. (And usually it isn’t in the least bit funny either, like someone wearing the same hat as someone else or some other non-hysterical circumstance). Force of habit, though I have to say she did seem to pick this up while living in the deep south. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/9 "2006-09-03T12:16:45Z")
If something strikes me as funny, I’m one of those people who can’t stifle a guffaw to save my life. My friend and I were being pulled over years ago, and she said something that cracked me up. I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING, even as the cop was standing at the window. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/10 "2006-09-03T13:58:33Z")
There used to be a belief that laughing was “vulgar”, and the open mouth was disgustingly sexual. My grandmother is a product of this generation. Usually she smiles (close mouthed, of course) and wrinkles her eyes to show amusement. Or she’ll chuckle with her mouth closed, if it was \*really \*funny. A few times, I’ve seen her lose it and actually giggle, and she covers her mouth with her hand to prevent anyone from being offended at the sight of her incisors. So if you’re seeing it in older women, it’s likely she was the child of Victorians or Edwardians. (My grandmother was born in 1926, but raised by her Victorian grandparents.) Younger women of course learned our habits unconsciously from older women, so it may also be passed down. My mother laughs out loud with an open mouth, but mostly covers the open mouth with her hand. I sometimes do that, but most often just laugh “vulgarly”. Or maybe they just think their teeth aren’t white enough. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/11 "2006-09-03T14:02:21Z")
**Sally:** Remember: Every morning your face has slipped a little bit more. Since 30 I have had to put a daily limit on facial expressions. I only ever smile at single men, so I can justify the loss of elasticity. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/12 "2006-09-03T14:22:01Z")
Possibly it means that they _didn’t_ find the joke funny at all, but they are trying to be polite? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/13 "2006-09-03T14:38:47Z")
My best friend’s wife does this. And she does find the things humorous, it’s just the way she grew up hearing and seeing that phrase as a response to something smally funny. Her husband does it too. Now. Not as often, tho. Hell, I even myself doing it from time to time. Rubs off, I guess. A couple of weeks ago, tho, I was doing something with them and some other friends, and in the conversation with her, I said something very oddly normal (I don’t do normal rather well, mostly). She almost burst her gut she laughed so hard. Lost all her water. Peed, cried, spit, etc… (just kiddding). She did really guffaw, tho. For quite a while. I guess she found that funny, no? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/14 "2006-09-03T14:51:22Z")
To list another (and possibly related) stereotype, it seems to be mostly if not entirely women who come by my work area and say “Knock knock” to get attention (instead of actually knocking on the door, which might be considered vulgar, or just saying “Excuse me”). I find this annoying but try not to lose sleep over it. [QUOTE=jjimm] Force of habit, though I have to say she did seem to pick this up while living in the deep south. [/QUOTE] England has a “deep south”? Do you sit out under the live oaks and sing “Way Down Upon The Thames River”? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/15 "2006-09-03T14:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=lorene] You know what? I have noticed that I do this a lot, and _I have no idea why_. I’m not above a hearty laugh, I’m not trying to avoid wrinkles…it just comes out as “That’s hilarious” instead of an actual laugh sometimes. [/QUOTE] I do this too. I find things humorous but it’s really rare I find something funny enough to laugh out loud. I’m a fairly reserved and quiet person in general. Thinking about it tho’, I’m more likely to genuinely laugh when I’m out drinking with friends so there may be inhibitions coming into play as well. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/16 "2006-09-03T15:03:52Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] A few times, I’ve seen her lose it and actually giggle, and she covers her mouth with her hand to prevent anyone from being offended at the sight of her incisors. [/QUOTE] Interesting…it may indeed be partially a cultural things, as Japanese women (at least of my wife’s generation) always cover their mouth when laughing or giggling. In her 70s, and she still does it, but not all the time now. I always thought it was cute. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/17 "2006-09-03T17:30:07Z")
I’m one of these people. I almost always will say “That’s funny” before laughing, unless it’s something that really catches me off guard. I never really thought about why, but my best guess is that because I’m a very language-oriented type my brain is probably wired to express the thought via speech before the laughter kicks in. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/18 "2006-09-03T17:33:44Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] England has a “deep south”? Do you sit out under the live oaks and sing “Way Down Upon The Thames River”? :dubious: [/QUOTE] Er, no, Tennessee. However they’ve now moved back over the Atlantic to a nice Antebellum spread in a plantation near Portsmouth. 😉 ---
**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:** [September 3, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/19 "2006-09-03T19:39:03Z")
> [@](#): > > However they’ve now moved back over the Atlantic to a nice Antebellum spread in a plantation near Portsmouth. An Antebellum spread in England… Would that be one built before 1066? And ladies, don’t worry about the wrinkles. Laughing is, in itself, easily sexy enough to make up for a few extra wrinkles down the line. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259/20 "2006-09-03T20:19:53Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] An Antebellum spread in England… Would that be one built before 1066? [/QUOTE] 1651. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-who-say-thats-funny-instead-of-laughing/371259.md?page=2)