How was the party?
If you tell me it was fun, I will think you had a good time. I will think that you liked the people there, the food was good, the music was probably too loud for me and you enjoyed yourself.
However, In English, when we say something is funny, we often mean that it makes us laugh, like a funny movie. We often say that a person is funny if he or she has a good sense of humor or makes jokes.
But, we also use the word funny for a lot of other reasons in English. These are the not-really-funny “funnies.”
Let’s see if you can figure out what I mean when I say:
1. “Hmmm. That’s funny. She’s always here on time, and now she’s 45 minutes late.”
Meaning: strange, weird.
“Hmmm. That’s strange, she’s always here on time, and now she’s 45 minutes late.”
2. “I think I should go home. My stomach feels funny.”
Meaning: ill, sick
“I think I should go home. My stomach feels sick.”
3. “I feel funny about singing in public.”
Meaning: uncomfortable, embarrassed.
“I feel embarrassed about singing in public.”
4. “Isn’t it funny how he’s a university professor, but his son is failing school?”
Meaning: ironic (just the opposite of what you would expect)
“Isn’t it ironic how he’s a university professor, but his son is failing school?”
Tip: How do you know which type of funny the person is using?
Generally, if the person who is speaking is not smiling or laughing, he is using the term funny which can mean:
• strange or weird
• sick
• uncomfortable or embarrassing
• ironic
I hope you have fun with these new ways of using the word "funny"!
Hero Image by Tambako The Jaguar (CC BY-ND 2.0)
