Reading through these tweets may make you wonder, “What about Scottish humor makes it work?” Could it be the delivery combined with the unique accent?
Scottish comedy writer Jenny Colgan provided some insight in an article for The Guardian. She says it’s about the innate ability to make a joke about everything, “from train stations to funerals,” adding that it is particularly a British trait.
“The reflex of making a joke out of absolutely everything, all the time, and valuing your friends for how funny they are is peculiar to Britain,” Colgan wrote.
Colgan adds that Scottish humor is “fundamentally working class,” making it relatable to a broader audience. As she noted, people see no point in being embarrassed about their social class, for example, because they know they are “all in it together.”
Colgan likewise described Scottish humor as “self-deprecating humor of the self-declared underdog.” Comedian and Glasgow native Larry Dean agrees, given what Scotland is known for.
“Being from the nation that’s credited with the invention of the deep-fried whatever, the man-skirt, and bad weather, I’d say we’re pretty good at taking a joke,” Dean wrote in an article for The Herald Scotland.
You’ve likely seen the usual stereotypes (kilts, bagpipes, and haggis), primarily thanks to pop culture and movies. Dean says that while not everything is 100% accurate, Scottish people don’t mind being the butt of the joke.
“We’d probably laugh louder than anyone else,” he stated, adding they aren’t attached to any specific idea of themselves.
Both Colgan and Dean also agree that there are differences between Scottish and English humor. Colgan described English humor as “manifestly middle class,” mostly about “the difficulties of fitting in.”
For Dean, the directness of Scottish humor gives them a “comedic gruffness” that their counterparts in England don’t have. As he explained, they don’t overcomplicate their means of self-expression.
“Nor do we waste time trying to make things sound prettier than they are.”
