My Favorite English Joke

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:41 am

Harold was asking Helen's father for her hand in marriage and her father replied--"Yes Harold, I think that would be lovely, however I feel I must tell you that Helen has acute angina" Harold replied---"oh I know sir, and a smashing set of t--s as well."

SlipStream · Post by **SlipStream** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:44 am

Lon;998583 wrote: Harold was asking Helen's father for her hand in marriage and her father replied--"Yes Harold, I think that would be lovely, however I feel I must tell you that Helen has acute angina" Harold replied---"oh I know sir, and a smashing set of t--s as well."

:wah

tit's the way ya tell em:wah:

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:52 am

You could have used the english spelling.... Favourite, for your favourite english joke.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:33 am

Bruv;998594 wrote: You could have used the english spelling.... Favourite, for your favourite english joke.

Yes, I guess I could have, but in honour of the American's on FG, and analysing the joke, not thinking someone might criticise it, I decided on the American spelling.:wah:

Bridget · Post by **Bridget** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 1:48 pm

Come on tell it again in the Queens language.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 4:18 pm

:yh_rotfl

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:13 am

The joke was not criticised......nice to see honour spelt as it should be though.:wah:

And the lack of zee in criticise........You know it makes sense

Post by **spot** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:58 am

Harold couldn't possibly ask Helen's father for her hand in marriage, that's so un-English. He might go so far as to ask permission to pay his addresses to her but only if he had already determined by other means that the answer could only be yes. Hardy uses the form in The Trumpet Major, for example:'It is my wish to be allowed to pay my addresses to your daughter.' 'I thought you meant that,' said Mrs. Garland simply. Only in an American potboiler romance would you possibly find the social faux pas which follows:"I will use no circumlocution. You have been a soldier, and so will naturally prefer directness. I wish your permission to pay my addresses to your daughter."

"I cannot grant it."

(Edward Payson Roe, "The Earth Trembled", Chapter XXIX: Consternation)In England, having received permission, he can then ask Helen who, if she's been properly brought up, will say yes at the third invitation at which point Harold and Helen will together inform her parents, and Harold alone will tell his.