You do not have to try too hard to learn a language and at times humor helps in your foreign language learning.

Many people normally find learning a second language difficult, but using humor can help—even if this means laughing at one’s own mispronunciations. After one has learned the basics of a foreign language, the learner will continually face difficulties as they progress. Mastery of a language requires the development of skills in speaking, listening, writing and reading, which can be overwhelming. If a learner tries too hard, they can find difficulty with concentration and remembering the rules.

Therefore, a language teacher needs to know how to engage students so that they will have fun while learning. One of the most effective teaching tools is humor, as it encourages learners to develop creativity in the second language.

Deeper understanding of a language

Dr. Geda Wielander, head of modern languages and cultures at the University of Westminster, where she also teaches Mandarin,believes that understanding a joke in a foreign language requires more than just a comprehension of grammar and vocabulary. One must also possess a deep understanding of the humor’s cultural context. She further explained that for tonal languages like Mandarin, satire and symbolism are linked to the homonyms of the language—those words that sound the same but are spelled differently. So, a high level of proficiency in the foreign language may be required, while trying to share the joke can be frustrating, as it can isolate other students who are still learning the basics.

Humor as a learning tool

The potential for wordplay usually arises when someone already has an extensive vocabulary and knowledge of grammar, thereby making it easy to use colloquialisms. While it can baffle students, there are others who believe that using culturally embedded jokes in the classroom is an opportunity for students to learn, rather than a hindrance. Language Gallery’s academic director, Heather Roberts,believes a joke is a good learning tool. She said that explaining the punch line might kill the joke, but it can also shed light on how humor is used in the foreign language, and help students remember the joke for future use. Roberts said that students are often confused at first, but the absurdity, repetition and misunderstanding of puns make clarification easier, and they are likely to remember and learn the joke later.

Comedy is usually lost through translation; however, mispronouncing words for comic effect, or using them out of context,while also being able to laugh at the mistakes you’ve made,is one of the challenges of foreign-language learning. Like the confusion in the use of the words “thong” and “tong,” using humor removes the hesitancy when speaking in a foreign language. It helps to lighten the mood and fill up awkward silences.

Image credit: A day out with friends taken by Faisal Akram under Public Domain.