Last Updated: 13 March 2009
What is dry humour anyway? Is it humour minus the saliva?
Dry humour defined
“dry humour” or “dry humor” (as Americans spell it) is humour told in a “dry” way, without emotion (e.g. seriously). So you tell a joke like it’s not a joke, in a matter-of-fact kind of way — in this sense, dry humour can be said to be all about the delivery of the joke.
It is an implied or indirect kind of humour, often with an emphasis on how the joke is told.
Wordreference.com defines it as this:
humorously sarcastic or mocking; “dry humor”; “an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely”; “an ironic novel”; “an ironical smile”; “with a wry Scottish wit”
These may give you even more clues to what dry humour is (or if you like, check out the comments at the bottom of the page. You’ll find many useful definitions, links, and other miscellaneous information from my readers):
- One type of British humor is often said to be “dry humor.” It is based on a hardly observable, or small deviation — a slight gesture. — From the essay How Can Humor Be Classified?
- Humorous or sarcastic in a shrewd, impersonal way. — From thefreedictionary.com/dry
- dry is really no more than a clever circumlocution or a punch line that doesn’t need to be said. — From article How Dry is Dry?
- Deadpan is a form of comedic delivery in which something humorous is said or done by a person, while not exhibiting a change in emotion or facial expression. — From Wikipedia definition of deadpan, which is what some people claim dry humour to be
Summary
There have been a hundred (or more) comments on this post already. I do not suggest that you go through all (or any) of them, since many simply reiterate the points I have written.
As an aside, some have commented that my definition of dry humour may be wrong, but I believe they are simply petty differences.
#1 by Real Dry Humour at January 8th, 2009
Unfortunately for the readers of this thread and for the time you spent classifying “Dry Humour” Donn you failed miserably. Dry Humour is a method of delivering a joke or punchline whereby the author appears to be serious.
Example;
“Remember when you were younger and you bought new trainers, I used to sleep with them. After 3 weeks later they were ruined! Now I buy skis.”
#2 by Donn at January 8th, 2009
Hmm… you can’t fault me for failing miserably. I did try failing happily.
#3 by doug at January 26th, 2009
EXAMPLE OF DRY HUMOUR
As I am a valeter I will set the scene
man drives onto forecourt and approaches a valeter working on a car and explanes that he has scratched the door of a hire car which must be returned this afternoon and ask if the scratch can be removed?
Yes says the valeter I will do it while you wait.
after a few minutes the valeter enters the reception area and says all sorted mate thats £10.
CUSTOMER That was quick what did you do?
VALETER I put a bigger scratch in the other side so they wouldnt notice the small one.
The customer couldnt see the funny side
Said with a straight seriouse face
THIS IS DRY HUMOUR
Of course this is only a joke and no property was damaged
#4 by Francis at January 29th, 2009
Another example of dry humour, and indeed deadpan humour (which is the delivery of a joke without the facial expressions or gestures that normally accompany a joke) is in the early scenes of Joss Whedon’s Serenity.
Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburn: This landing is gonna get pretty interesting.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Define “interesting”.
Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburn: [deadpan] Oh God, oh God, we’re all going to die?
#5 by Francis at January 29th, 2009
Though I must add that it is harder to carry off wit, sarcasm, or dry humour via words on the internet. In order to fully grasp dry humour, its an idea to watch any comedians, or movies that feature dry humour. Bill Murray is an example.