Comments on: It’s the way you tell ‘em: the art of storytelling

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:56:58 +0000

Ave, one of the best parts of learning languages and cultures is encountering the different ideas of humour in each language. I must admit I find Polish jokes very hard to get, while I know that the English sense of humour doesn’t travel very well at all.

Pam, the idea of telling a joke via video would fill me with dread! But you’re right, it’s hard to convey a joke in writing as we miss out on all the accompanying body language which enriches the verbal story.

Thanks both for sharing your thoughts.

By: pam

pam — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 22:20:30 +0000

Circumstances have me thinking about storytelling a lot lately — it’s at the front of my mind. Yes, the story needs a good telling, 27 in the hands of a deadpan storyteller is a mere 3, at best, a 0 at worst. But the words chose to tell the story are part and parcel of your perception of the teller, no? Especially on the web — we have short attention spans and are disinclined to read. I suppose we could tell our stories via video — that would be a tough test, eh? — but as long as we write we have to tell them well with words, not just body language.

Thanks for feeding my brain today.

By: Ave

Ave — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:24:43 +0000

Well, it’s more or less the same, except that the action takes place at a psychiatric facility, and the visitor sayss: “104!”, then all the patients jump on him and give him a beating next to death. After he wakes up from the beating, the guy asks the manager (who had witnessed the entire scene): “What was that for?!?” “Well, you know…”, says the manager, “100 is the beginning of the jokes with insane people…”

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:17:54 +0000

Thanks to all for the comments and stories (would love to be able to repeat the joke to you Lori, but my Romanian has fallen into disuse after all these years. I’ll have to get back there and pick it up again).
Very true Mr. Lama. We have an endless supply of material to write about. Keep up the good work!

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:52:33 +0000

When I started reading this article and saw the joke I started laughing. Not because I knew the jokes with the numbers mentioned by you, but because I knew this joke (a famous one among Romanians too:) ). Yes, I am from Romania Now, going further – for I’m in PR – I might add that some people have a great charisma: they catch and retain the attention of a full room simply by being natural, not by doing anything special. Some work very hard and manage to get half way: catch the attention of some and not for the whole presentation. In Romania we have an actor, named Florin Piersic, pretty famous for his art or story telling: you can watch him for hours and hours and still you would watch him some more.

By: The Holy Lama

The Holy Lama — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 07:32:35 +0000

An interesting topic. There are diffent kinds of these storytellers. 1. People who make others sway to their hysterics, 2. Guys who never bother to see how bored the audience is3. people who just can’t stop once they start off. But we bloggers get more to write with such diversity around:)

By: agentcikay

agentcikay — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:57:11 +0000

the power of anticipation.. I love this post! next time I tell a story, I’ll make sure I really “tell the story”! great post