where is the humur ?

[tien-sung]

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. [SIZE=+1]

I know each word of the above Church Bulletin, but I don't know where the humor is. Could you tell me the meaning of the two sentences?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]I am Taiwanese from Taipei.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]From tien-sung [/SIZE]

 

[Raymott]

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. [SIZE=+1]

I know each word of the above Church Bulletin, but I don't know where the humor is. Could you tell me the meaning of the two sentences?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]I am Taiwanese from Taipei.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]From tien-sung [/SIZE]

This seems to be one of a list of Church Meeting jokes. By itself, it's not that funny.

The clue is in the bean supper. Beans are supposed to make you fart. To prevent embarassment from noisy explosions after the supper, music will be played.
(Beans have this special connotation in the west specifically after the movie 'Blazing Saddles' which had an infamous bean-eating scene. I'm sure that cabbages and other things are just as bad.)

 

[Rover_KE]

I've always understood the music to refer to the sounds of flatulence which will follow the bean supper.

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, exactly - farting is sometimes called "tooting" or "hooting" so that is supposed to be the "music" in the humorous interpretation.

 

[Raymott]

I've always understood the music to refer to the sounds of flatulence which will follow the bean supper.

Yes, that would work too. This is the first time I've heard that one, so I hadn't had time to meditate on the possibilities!

 

[tien-sung]

This seems to be one of a list of Church Meeting jokes. By itself, it's not that funny.

The clue is in the bean supper. Beans are supposed to make you fart. To prevent embarassment from noisy explosions after the supper, music will be played.
(Beans have this special connotation in the west specifically after the movie 'Blazing Saddles' which had an infamous bean-eating scene. I'm sure that cabbages and other things are just as bad.)

Can we use "bean feast" replace "bean supper" ?

From tien-sung

 

[Barb_D]

Not if you're in New England, where they are called "Bean Suppers."

 

[tien-sung]

A bean-feast is primarily an annual dinner given by an employer to his workmen. By extension, colloquially, it describes any jollification. The word, and its shorter form "beano," are fairly common in Britain, less known in the United States.

The above explantion was found from a dictionary.


Therefore, if we use "bean-feast" replaced "bean supper", then the church bulletin is still a joke?

From tien-sung

 

[Barb_D]

Not if you're in New England, where they are known as Bean Suppers.

It's as true now as it was when I posted it five minutes ago.

 

[tien-sung]

If I use "feast"or "party" replace "bean supper"is OK?

From tien-sung

 

[emsr2d2]

If I use "feast"or "party" replace "bean supper"is OK?

From tien-sung

I think you've just asked the same question three times! BarbD has already told you twice that in New England, the meal is spefically called a Bean Supper. This particular meal doesn't really exist at all in the UK so there is no BrE equivalent. I would therefore stick with Bean Supper.

You have already been given the accepted definition of a "bean feast" and that doesn't really work. A "bean party" would be open to interpretation, as it doesn't necessarily suggest that people will be eating.

Why do you want to replace the phrase "Bean Supper"?

 

[tien-sung]

Thank you all.I am sorry that I was unable to express what I really want to express.
I mean if this church bulletin use "party" or "feast" replace "bean supper",then the church bulletin will become normal and no longer a joke ?

From tien-sung

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you all.I am sorry that I was unable to express what I really want to express.
I mean if this church bulletin use "party" or "feast" replace "bean supper",then the church bulletin will become normal and no longer a joke ?

From tien-sung

Well, that depends on the reader!

If someone who reads "bean feast" assumes that it means a meal of beans (instead of the definition you were given previously), then it remains funny (inasmuch as it is funny now).

I think if it were changed to "bean party" there would probably be sufficient confusion over the meaning to remove the humour.

 

[Rover_KE]

If I use "feast"or "party" replace "bean supper"is OK?

From tien-sung

No.

The joke would lose its point.

Rover

 

[Barb_D]

A bean supper is a supper where there is often ham and big trays of baked beans. Often the people who attend also bring a side salad or side dish. There is also often pie. It's a traditional church community thing. It's not even slightly close to the definition provided early.

 

[emsr2d2]

A bean supper is a supper where there is often ham and big trays of baked beans. Often the people who attend also bring a side salad or side dish. There is also often pie. It's a traditional church community thing. It's not even slightly close to the definition provided early.

Which definition earlier are you referring to? I couldn't find a definition of a "bean supper", other than the person who said "a bean supper is supposed to make you fart", which I took to mean "It's widely believed that beans make you fart" as opposed to "The point of a bean supper is to make you fart."

 

[tien-sung]

Could you tell me what does "a side salad or side dish" means?

 

[emsr2d2]

Could you tell me what does "a side salad or side dish" means?

A "side dish" is an accompaniment to the main course or main part of a meal. For example, with an Indian meal, you might order a large portion of rice, and a curry, but as a "side dish" you might have a (small) portion of Sag Aloo or something similar. (Please note, it may well be the case that in India, this isn't true, but it certainly is at Indian restaurants in the UK).

A "side salad" is similar. It's a small salad that you have along with your main meal.

The word "side" is used because the plate containing that food is usually placed on one side of the main plate in front of you.

 

[Barb_D]

Sorry, I meant it isn't close to the description of the meal served by the employer for the workers. I forgot to include the "brown bread" which is also a part of these meals, another traditional New England food.

At our church, the pies were all cut up and on single serving plates when you arrived. You first went and got your slice of pie (I like blueberry) and would set that at the place you chose at one of the many tables. You always saved your fork when they came to collect the dinner dishes so you would have something to use for your pie.

If you google the phrase "save your fork" you'll find at least one story about someone who chose to be buried holding a fork, because she knew from all these suppers that "the best is yet to come."

 

[emsr2d2]

Sorry, I meant it isn't close to the description of the meal served by the employer for the workers. I forgot to include the "brown bread" which is also a part of these meals, another traditional New England food.

Ah yes, but that was the specific definition of a "bean feast" which, as you say, is nothing like a "bean supper".