Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 28-Aug-2005, 11:34
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Country: Denmark
Posts: 241
Current Location: Denmark
First Language: English
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Nordic Bill is on a distinguished road
Default Black or dark?

Which is the more widely used expression? Black humour or Dark humour?

Here I am referring to eg. Helen Keller jokes, et al, or that macabre form of humour that seems to surface in the wake of a major disaster, spawning a series of tasteless jokes (supposedly as a means of cushioning ourselves against the shock delivered by the disaster).

Bill
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 28-Aug-2005, 12:14
Newbie
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 6
First Language: English
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
4weddings is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Black or dark?

I am in Australia and am not familiar with either of these terms. Both sound politically incorrect in any case.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 28-Aug-2005, 12:28
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Country: Denmark
Posts: 241
Current Location: Denmark
First Language: English
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Nordic Bill is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Black or dark?

I wouldn't say the expressions themselves are politically incorrect per se, although they are meant to describe politically incorrect jokes, references, etc.

They are apparently fairly widely used but, as I mentioned previously, it is possible that only one of them is considered correct English.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 28-Aug-2005, 14:15
Key Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Country: USA
Posts: 1,807
Current Location: North Carolina
First Language: English
Thanks: 0
Thanked 38 Times in 35 Posts
mykwyner is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Black or dark?

I hear dark most often. In America, black humor would be confused with jokes by or about black people. We have a Black History Month, a TV network called Black Entertainment Television, and hunderds of other instances where black means a person of African descent.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 28-Aug-2005, 14:20
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Country: Denmark
Posts: 241
Current Location: Denmark
First Language: English
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Nordic Bill is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Black or dark?

Thanks very much for the help on that one, mykwyner. I was really in doubt about what to use and sometimes a general Google search just isn't enough. Glad there are people out there I can ask!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
black, dark

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Tall, dark and handsome Curious Cat English Idioms and Sayings 13 09-Dec-2005 19:02
in black explosion higurashi Ask a Teacher 3 08-May-2005 23:25
black color zoobinshid Ask a Teacher 1 15-Jan-2005 23:39
The pot calls the kettle black. blacknomi English Idioms and Sayings 10 13-May-2004 03:35


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 05:32.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0 RC5
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com