The Fun of Language.

I’ve probably said this before but it sometimes occurs to me that a lot of people who read this blog don’t realise how much of what I say on it is meant humorously. That’s because a lot of people reading it don’t even have English as a first language, much less appreciate the sometimes idiosyncratic nature of the British sense of humour (and mine in particular.)

The same applies to comments I leave on YouTube. I recently asked a YouTuber: ‘Would you mind making a Harry Potter video focusing on the dragons? I like dragons. I suggest the musical accompaniment should be Nat King Cole singing A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.

Well, it’s obviously a joke, isn’t it, since dragons have little in common with either song birds or love on a London street? She replied with: ‘Thank you. I’ll do my best but I’m very busy right now.’ And so I had to write back, expressing my appreciation but pointing out that I wouldn’t dream of putting her to the trouble and it was a joke anyway.

And then there’s the matter of the language barrier which crops up even with those who do have English as a first language. It seems to me that the French did rather well out of General Wolfe because now they only have to put up with the Quebecois messing up their language. We have the whole of Canada and the USA.

Joke. See?