Explain the Joke

Voting Bears

Posted on December 9, 2013 by stfleming

Q: Where do polar bears vote?
A: The North Poll!

Explanation: When you go to vote for a candidate, the place that you go is called the poll. Last year my polling place changed from a school to a nursing home; every year, though, I go to the poll to vote.

Polar bears live near the north pole, way up north in the Arctic circle (I could talk about the decrease in the population of polar bears but I won’t). This joke is funny because of the play on words with poll and pole.

I wonder if Santa Claus votes at the north poll too?

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged ELL, English, ESL, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, north pole, polar bears, pole, poll, reading, writing | Leave a comment

Going Up (or down)

Posted on December 9, 2013 by stfleming

Q: What did one elevator say to the other elevator?
A: I think I’m coming down with something!

Explanation: There is a double meaning in this joke: “To come down with something” is to get sick; elevators come down with something- people. When the first elevator says it is coming down with something the listener hears the double meaning of getting sick and going to a lower floor — and that’s funny because elevators don’t get sick.

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged coming down with, elevator, ELL, English, ESL, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, reading, writing | Leave a comment

Paging the Lost Book

Posted on December 8, 2013 by stfleming

Q: How do you reach a book in an emergency?
A: Call its pager!

Explanation: A pager or a beeper is a small electronic device (not used much anymore because so many people have cell phones) that beeps or vibrates and shows the telephone number of the caller or a message from the caller. They are often used in hospitals or other locations where it is important to contact someone and do so with minimal interference.

This joke is funny because books have pages but do not have pagers. You can also reach a book with your arm. Read a good book today!

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged books, ELL, emergency, English, ESL, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, pager, reading, writing | Leave a comment

Bullfighters in Peril

Posted on December 7, 2013 by stfleming

Q: What do you call four bullfighters in quicksand?
A: Cuatro sinko!

Explanation: Ah, yes! A bad bilingual joke. Bullfighters are often found in Spanish speaking countries. The number four in Spanish is “cuatro.” If you are in quicksand you are probably sinking down into the sand.

Many English speakers who do not speak Spanish play with Spanish by adding an “o” onto any English word- so “sink” would become “sinko.” Of course “sinko” sounds just like “cinco” which means five in Spanish. This joke is funny to an English speaker who knows a bit of Spanish because the answer sounds like 4, 5 in Spanish as it refers to the 4 bullfighters sinking into quicksand.

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged bilingual joke, bullfighting, ELL, English, ESL, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, quicksand, reading, Spanish, writing | Leave a comment

Flying Clocks

Posted on December 6, 2013 by stfleming

Q: Why did Tomás throw the clock out the window?
A: He wanted to see time fly!

Explanation: “Time flies” means that time seems to pass quickly as in the expression, “time flies when you are having fun.” Of course if you throw a clock then the clock, which shows the time, is flying. This joke plays with the words “time flies,” both the figurative meaning and the literal meaning.

As winter comes to Minnesota, I kind of hope that time flies and that spring comes soon.

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged clock, ELL, English, ESL, flying, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, old jokes, reading, time, writing | Leave a comment

Teddy’s Door

Posted on December 5, 2013 by stfleming

Knock, knock!

Who’s There?

Theodore.

Theodore who?

Theodore is stuck and it won’t open!

Explanation: Yesterday, teddy bears. Today, Theodore: thee-o door. The last part of the name “Theodore” sounds like “door.” If you say the whole name fast it can almost sound like “thee door” or “the door.” This joke is funny because it is not Theodore who is knocking at the door but someone who says the door is stuck.

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke, Knock knock | Tagged door, ELL, English, ESL, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, knock knock, reading, Theodore, writing | Leave a comment

Stuffed!

Posted on December 4, 2013 by stfleming

Q: Why are teddy bears never hungry?
A: They are always stuffed!

Explanation: After you finish eating you could say, “I am full” or you might say, “I’m stuffed.” Both expressions mean the same thing: you have eaten enough and you do not need to eat any more.

If you were to open a teddy bear you would find “stuffing” inside. Stuffing is the material that makes the bear soft and cuddly. Teddy bears are also known as “stuffed animals,” that is, toy animals that are soft and are full of stuffing.

This joke plays on the double meaning of the word “stuffed.” Of course teddy bears are stuffed! But they never eat anything.

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged ELL, English, ESL, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, reading, teddy bear, writing | Leave a comment

What do you knead?

Posted on December 4, 2013 by stfleming

Q: What did the baker say when he found his lost dough?
A: “That’s just what I kneaded!”

Explanation: “To knead dough” is to push and pull it; that is what you do to the dough before you let it rise. “To knead” sounds just like “to need.” This joke plays on these phrases that sound the same. Do you knead more of an explanation? No, but you might need more of an explanation.

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged baker, bread, ELL, English, ESL, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, kneading, reading, writing | Leave a comment

Above Me

Posted on December 3, 2013 by stfleming

Q: Did you hear the joke about the roof?
A: Never mind, it’s over your head!

Explanation: “Over your head” can have two different meanings: 1) something is literally above you; 2) something is too hard for you to understand. For example: 1) the ceiling of the room I am in is over my head and keeps the snow off my shoulders; 2) Quantum physics is “over my head” because I do not understand it.

This joke plays on the double meaning of the phrase “over your head.” Get it? Or is it over your head?

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged ELL, English, ESL, head, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, reading, roof, writing | Leave a comment

Baby Dribbler

Posted on December 2, 2013 by stfleming

Q: When is a baby good at basketball?

A: When it’s dribbling!

Explanation: “To dribble” the basketball means to bounce the ball as you walk or run down the basketball court. “To dribble” is also to let saliva drop from your mouth. Babies often dribble, that is, they drool, they let saliva or food or milk come out of their mouths.

This joke is funny because it plays on the double meaning of the word dribble; babies cannot dribble a basketball but they dribble all frequently.

Posted in ELL, ESL, humor, Joke | Tagged baby, basketball, dribble, ELL, English, humor, joke, jokes, kids, kids jokes, reading, writing | Leave a comment