Friday, August 9, 2013

Phrases and Meaning IV - Good One?

We were on top of the mountain standing just off a steep drop and looking down into the valley below when a bird flew gracefully in front of our eyes.

"Wow! How I wish I could fly like that"
"Oh! Flying from here is a piece of cake. It is the landing that is the problem"
"Good one"

Huh! This 'Good one' as a reaction to a joke or a witticism always confuses me. I can still remember my long gone school days when I used to crack what I thought was a joke and be met with sepulchral silence. Then one of the guys would catch the pleading, pathetic look on my face and say, "Good one!" Now, when someone says "Good one" in response to a joke is it only sympathy that makes him say it instead of "Oh! Was that a joke?" or scratching his ribs with both hands (a throw-back gesture that reminds you of your Darwinian origins) and emitting a derisive "Ha Ha"?

There is an Asimov story - "Joker" or some such name - in which he says that the only jokes that people laugh at are ones that begin "Ever heard of this one before" or some such thing that ascribes an unknown origin to the joke. He claims that all the on-the-spot witticisms only beget groans or "Good One"s depending on the nature of the recipient. From which I conclude that Isaac Asimov too had had his share of jokes falling flat on unpromising soil or eliciting feeble "Good one"s.

Sometimes, it does feel like his theory is right. The "Good one" shoots out with such enthusiasm - and without the stimulus of pathos in the face - that it seems like it was meant. This, however, does not necessarily mean that the Wit can dance a saraband in happiness. It only means that, though the joke was not good enough to laugh at, it was good enough to be acknowledged.

Sometimes, though, it is the recipient of the witticism who needs the crutch of a "Good one". There are those unfortunate beings who actually cannot get a joke. When, however, they are acute enough to understand when the other person thinks that what he said is a joke (and it is not every Wit who is overwhelmed by his own humor that he conveniently goes "Ha Ha Ha" and gives you a clue), then he can come out with a "Good one" to cover up the fact that he was totally in the dark about what was funny about it.

In sum, a "Good One" is not a good enough one - at least for the recipient. If, perchance, you feel the pressing need to leave a "Good one" in the comments, you do it at the peril of my taking you for the third category of people above!

36 comments:

  1. I am sure lot of people are going to say 'Good one' to this post. Btw, even people laughing is subject to interpretation - you never know if people are laughing at the joke or at your stupidity in assuming they would find your feeble joke funny.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jokes -- they are a slippery territory, really! Sometimes, they do go over the head :). And sometimes, we are in a position where no one has understood what we thought was a mindblowing one. It can be an awkward situation, certainly!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So - point made :) "Good One" does not mean good one :)

      Delete
  3. Next time I get a 'good one' I shall breezily remind myself- on your authority- that the unwilling poor mutt of a recipient, didn't get it at all. It would be a salubrious salve to the stung soul.

    There are times, I am proud to confess, when I read you and am filled with a smug satisfaction. After all, it is a lonely job swatting flies. One likes company. Especially distinguished company. It lends an aura of heroism to one's crusade.

    Dagny

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm! *Looking around curiously* Distinguished company?? :)

      One thing is for sure - till now no-one is disputing the fact that "Good one" does mean "Not a good enough one" at best :) Which is the purport of this series - to highlight where we do not literally mean what we say :)

      Delete
  4. that's more like an apt filler word when one doesn't want the other person to keep looking at their blank face wondering whether he understood or not! better say 'good one' and get of the situation then endure the agony of being explained again..

    ReplyDelete
  5. 'Good One' actually helps...At high flying corporate parties...When your Top Boss tries his hands at lousy jokes...It's this one 'Good one' that saves your ass...On the contrary...At such parties , a fellow cracks an awesome joke and you so want to go nuts laughing hysterically...But then its a corporate event and requires a level of sophistication...So all you say is 'Good One Dude'..:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And if that awesome joke is about the TOP Boss you cannot even say that :)

      Delete
    2. Yeh...someone cracks a joke..'Hey your Boss is a lunatic' and I say..'Good One'...:)

      Delete
    3. How many jobs have you changed then? :)

      Delete
  6. ''Good One'' you came up with different psychologies :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am amazed at your ability to capture your readers interest even when you are writing on a casual phrase like G$$D O$E.
    I didn't say it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Alka both for the compliment as well as for avoiding the phrase :)

      Delete
  8. I know, I know, I know. To share an incident with you here, let me tell you I sent an email to my boss, asking for leaves. I added bit of humor to that email since I know that leave applications pisses off any boss. And you know what he responded? - Good One.

    And you guessed it that I got all what I wanted :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. You can either attribute it to the lack of witty cells or extreme jealousy. Great intellect often begets envy :|

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not to mention that it is very comforting to attribute great intellect to oneself :)

      Delete
  10. I shall steer clear of the phrase now, especially in your blog!Actually I've at times sensed a kind of condescension in the truant phrase coming from certain people.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha! It does actually - and in blogs you do not even hv other things like tone of voice and body language to gauge how it is meant.

      Delete
  11. Good One! ;-)
    Now, come to London and I shall happily succumb to the third degree treatment :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. Another phrase I need clarification on is "How are you doing?" or its variations "Whats happening?" & "Whats up?" . It would seem the enquirer really is interested in knowing the details and it seems disappointing to just say "nothing much", then why is it that when I begin to give his/her Q the attention it deserves, the person seems to have a glazed expression in his/her eyes? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This means you have not read "Phrases and Meanings - I" :)

      Delete
    2. My apologies. Ignore "How are you doing?". I meant "Whats happening?" and "Whats up?" I know in all cases they don't give two hoots about the response but to me they seem different. The former seems to be used in lieu of "good morning" and the latter two are used usually mid-day.

      Delete
    3. Ah! Well! I would end up writing the same things as I did for "How are you?' wouldn't I? Would get too boring :)

      Delete
    4. Aap likhen aur hum bore ho jayeen? kabhi nahi :)

      Delete
  13. I have got many good ones but i prefer to interpret them literally--after all one does need encouragement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will agree though that a laugh beats all the Good Ones hollow :)

      Delete
  14. Like the " Good ones" there are some which come instantly when least expected.Those have consequences,though

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Suresh

    Actually other than slap stick comedy (possibly visual) jokes or written humor would never make you laugh out loud rt? It would usually a smile or a grin or atmost a light chuckle that would get triggered rt? So Good One is something like that i Guess :)

    ReplyDelete