Interloper

[chester_100]

What's so amazing, or better said, strange about the word interloper. So far, I've seen some natives joke about it.
Is it the meaning or the pronunciation, or maybe the style (which is more formal than the words used in spoken language) that triggers such a reaction?

 

[Raymott]

What's so amazing, or better said, strange about the word interloper. So far, I've seen some natives joke about it.
Is it the meaning or the pronunciation, or maybe the style (which is more formal than the words used in spoken language) that triggers such a reaction?

It doesn't sound at all funny or strange to me. It's a normal word.

 

[Tdol]

I agree with Raymott that there's nothing intrinsically amusing about the word. It is not a word used much in everyday speech, so it might appear a bit strange in a very colloquial context, but I wouldn't have thought that would make it amusing.

 

[BobK]

I agree with Raymott that there's nothing intrinsically amusing about the word. It is not a word used much in everyday speech, so it might appear a bit strange in a very colloquial context, but I wouldn't have thought that would make it amusing.

:up: I think probably that's it. To quote a phrase recently used in my company (no idea why;-)) 'What's wrong with you? Swallowed a Thesaurus?'

b

 

[chester_100]

Thank you people,
I believe an American can tell us more about it. It should have something to do with culture.
Last night, when I was watching a talk show, I saw a short funny debate on the word again; the guys involved showed an unusual reaction to it. But why?

 

[chester_100]

Thank you.

In another case (I think it was a sitcom), one of the characters used the word, while he had other choices like intruder, trespasser etc.
The imaginary audience burst into laughter?

So, as everybody agrees, it should be a situation-based joke and nothing beyond that.
Apparently the best explanation is a clash of style. Sentences can be grammatically or semantically correct and meaningful, but sometimes they can be pragmatically or stylistically deviant (and that aberration causes laughter).


Thank you all,

 

[Raymott]

Thank you.

In another case (I think it was a sitcom), one of the characters used the word, while he had other choices like intruder, trespasser etc.
The imaginary audience burst into laughter?

So, as everybody agrees, it should be a situation-based joke and nothing beyond that.
Apparently the best explanation is a clash of style. Sentences can be grammatically or semantically correct and meaningful, but sometimes they can be pragmatically or stylistically deviant (and that aberration causes laughter).


Thank you all,

So, you're saying that the characters weren't laughing, but it was only the "canned laughter" that alerted you to this word? That would certainly explain it.
I think the editors have to press the laughter button a certain number of times per minute so that the audience does not catch on that the show isn't really that funny.

 

[chester_100]

So, you're saying that the characters weren't laughing, but it was only the canned laughter that alerted you to this word? That would certainly explain it.

Absolutely! And because it was the second time for me to hear the word in a comic atmosphere, as you said, it captured my attention.
I think the editors have to press the laughter button a certain number of times per minute so that the audience does not catch on that the show isn't really that funny.

That's true. But I thought the audience was intelligently sensitive as though it were present at the scene, which is, of course, impossible (the editors did a good job with this respect; maybe).

Thank you