Almost everyone has the desire to be able to chat with intelligent jokes. However, very few are lucky enough to have that talent naturally. With a few tips and a little practice, anyone can learn to make smart jokes while chatting.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Establishing Good Interaction
Step 1. Prioritize good conversation before chatting with smart jokes
Improve your "conversational intelligence" before trying to appear both funny and smart. Although funny, conversations that start with humor or jokes can sometimes make the other person uncomfortable. Use the "Observe-Ask-Reveal" method so you can have a smooth conversation.
- Start by showing that you are interested in chatting. In social situations, you should be able to convey an approachable impression by giving nonverbal cues, such as open body language and smiling.
- Keep the chat flowing with strategic pleasantries. All conversations must start with one thing. Start with a question or comment about the surroundings. If you're outside, what's the weather like? If you are at a party, what food is served?
- If you're talking to a stranger, turn small talk into introductions and let the chat develop from there.
Step 2. Ask questions
To find out what the other person finds funny, you need to get to know him better.
- Most people like to talk about themselves, if given the chance. Avoid questions that can be answered with a "yes" or "no". Instead, choose open-ended questions. For example, when the other person tells you what his job is, ask him what his favorite part of the job is. When in doubt, ask "Why?"
- Show the other person that you're genuinely interested in what he or she has to say, by making eye contact and making subtle comments like "Seriously?", "Yes?", and "Hmm." Don't interrupt even if you have something to say.
Step 3. Pay attention to the other person
Usually, if you really want to sound smart and funny, you forget to listen because you are busy thinking about the next comment. In order to respond with intelligent jokes, you must pay attention to what the other person is saying. Listen attentively.
- Don't interrupt. Even if the other person's words bring up the commentary idea in your head, don't speak until there is a natural pause. Even the best comments, when spoken in the form of interruptions, can come across as rude.
- Pay attention to the rhythm of the conversation. Smart jokes depend on timing. Listen carefully to understand the other person's chat patterns so you know when to respond with comments. If the moment is lost, a witty joke won't sound funny.
Step 4. Find common ground
Once you get to know the other person better, you can find common ground and the best conversation topics.
- Think about your funny experience related to the other person's interests. When the time is right, share the experience.
- Sometimes, all it takes is one experience. For example, if he says he likes fishing, but you've only fished once, think about some beginner mistakes you made, which may be funny to the person you're talking to.
- Get to know the listener. British writer Somerset Maugham said, “quotes… are a substitute for witty jokes.” Cultural references from books, songs, movies, television, politics, etc., can replace witty jokes. However, in order not to be dry, you must know the listener.
- For example, if you're talking to the '60s generation, mentioning the lyrics of Koes Brothers is certainly more effective than talking about Agnes Monica's song.
Part 2 of 3: Practicing Smart Prank
Step 1. Prepare the anecdote
Everyone loves funny stories, but it's hard to make them laugh with convoluted or cryptic anecdotes. Instead, you should have a crisp and clear story, ready to tell at parties and social events.
- Think of the funniest or oddest story from your life. It can be used as a mainstay story in a conversation.
- Consider the listener. If your goal is to sound witty and funny at accounting conventions, a story related to accounting might be a good fit. However, if you're looking for a witty joke that can be told anywhere, use common experiences such as school, parents, pets, and children because many people have similarities in those areas.
Step 2. Make sure your story is funny
Ordinary stories can be confusing, boring, or really funny. In order to provoke laughter, the story must be polished.
- For ideas, learn humorous phrases and exaggerated use of words.
- Start telling the story. Try to remember details. Revise anecdotes until they are crisp, clear, and funny. Then, memorize and streamline the delivery so that it remains funny when told directly or read.
Step 3. Prepare a good joke
While chatting, you can try pranks.
- Make fun of celebrities, singers or politicians. However, make sure the other person is not a big fan of the figure you choose.
- Don't cross the line. Avoid teasing about your appearance, family situation, sexuality, or disability unless you know the other person is open about it. Even if he tells jokes about himself, maybe he doesn't want to hear them from other people.
Step 4. Play with words
Intelligent word games automatically make the speaker seem funny and intelligent. Even if you don't have a natural talent for wordplay, you can develop it with practice.
- Learn a lot of vocabulary. Word games depend on the breadth of vocabulary mastery. Consider learning vocabulary from books, phone apps, and games like crossword puzzles.
- Know the types of wordplay. There is spoonerism, which is the alternating position of letters, malapropism, which replaces words with the same sound, and also, which is the use of different words with similar sounds, but with branched meanings. In addition, there is also a portmanteau, which is the creation of a new word from a combination of two words. The word game will be very funny and smart if used properly.
- Learn examples of good wordplay. Many writers, comedians, and even singers incorporate puns into their writing and performance. With your audience in mind, learn a lot of puns so you know how to use them.
Part 3 of 3: Sharpening Submission
Step 1. Relax and be yourself
People usually want to have smart jokes because they feel that they are not very chatty. However, low self-esteem is the enemy of intelligence in joking.
- Good delivery usually distinguishes between comments that create laughter and comments that are not funny. If you're nervous or stiff, witty comments that are actually funny won't have the desired effect.
- It is important to remember that your personal perception is often inaccurate. Maybe you're not as awkward as you think you are, and because you don't have self-confidence, you're actually holding back on your ability to make smart jokes.
Step 2. Build confidence with practice
The only way to beat your insecurity during a conversation is to chat more often.
The key is to engage in less risky interactions (joking with the barista while waiting for coffee) as often as possible so that you will be more natural in high-stakes conversations (chatting with a coworker you like)
Step 3. Use the internet if necessary (temporarily)
If face-to-face interactions make you nervous, try practicing stories, word games, and witty jokes on social networking sites.
By looking for opportunities to exercise your wits about jokes in situations that allow you to think ahead, you can build your confidence and allow you to relax more in face-to-face interactions
Step 4. Stop joking once you get the desired effect
As you become more confident, you will not only be able to continue the interaction after a failed prank, but also know when to stop.
- Shakespeare said, "Restrictions are the key to clever jokes." When you're sure, you're no longer trying to make all those witty and funny comments, mistakes that often irritate or bore the other person.
- Similarly, once you are more confident, you will learn when to quit. It's a good idea to end the conversation when you've succeeded in creating the desired effect.
