by Alan Townend31. Word story: Jokes
«Jokes» are funny stories. You tell a story and hope that the ending,
what is often called the «punch line», will make the listener laugh.
Let me tell you one and let's hope I at least get a smile. A man who
is very fond of going to the theatre to see« thrillers», sometimes
called«detective stories» or «whodunits» (because you have to find
out who has committed — «done» the murder) goes to see a play
but has a very bad seat. He asks the «usher» (someone who shows
you to your seat) if he can find a better seat because he wants to
work out who the murderer is and promises he will give him a very
large «tip» (a lot of money for the service). The usher finds him a
good seat. The man gives him just ONE penny. As the usher walks
away, he says to the man: «By the way the butler does it with the
candlestick!»
There are two verbs associated with «jokes — tell and make». You
«tell jokes» or funny stories if you do what I have just done by
«telling you a joke about» the man in the theatre. You can also
«make jokes about someone». This means that you make fun of
someone you know or if you are a «comic» or «comedian», someone
who does this for a living, you will invariably «make jokes about«
famous people and very often politicians. A «joker» is someone who
is always «telling jokes» or playing tricks on people. It is also the
word for the one odd card in a pack of playing cards. One useful
expression connected with «jokes« is what you say to someone who
asks you to do something really dangerous like bungee jumping:
«You must be joking!»