We all know that person that the moment they enter the room or even their name is spoken, we think of laughter and joking. Yet, is joking or entertaining others always the main determiner of a humorous person? This introduces our question, “What is a humorous person?”
A humorous person is someone that has a lighthearted tone, makes others feel they are included in a playful way, and can command the attention of a crowd while simultaneously controlling the mood of a room. They evoke humor in many ways including mannerisms, tone, and personality.
I will look into what character traits and virtues are associated with being a humorous person and how they point to why being humorous in many situations can be a great thing. Though, on the flip side I will look into the reasons that humor can also be misplace and misused. Let’s get into this.
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Can A Person Be Described As Humorous?
There are many types of comedy, humor, jokes, etc. What about a person would make us identify them with one of these? Is it their manner, personality, way of speaking, view of the world? Can we truly describe someone as being humorous and it hold up in some of these areas, but not in others?
A person can be described as humorous by only having demonstrable comedic or amusing characteristics in one of many areas. They may be a serious person not given to frivolity, but have a very dry tone and wit. There could also be a person that warmly offers simple puns to make others feel at ease.
Not only can some be seen as humorous, but it is a way of being that can be learned and developed over time. In their book published by University Press, C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez detail how humor, humorous mannerisms, and a humorous tone can not only be learned, but how it can help build the best quality of life.
It is instructive to look at humor and different types of humorous characteristics that make us view some people in that light. I will highlight a few to illustrate what can be the cause of some earning the title ‘humorous’.
What Is A Humorous Manner?
So, what types of actions can we aspire to in order to be considered a humorous person or what do we look for when deciding if someone else is one? The way someone carries themselves or reacts to situations is what is considered someone’s manner. What then is a humorous manner?
A person with a humorous manner is ready to liven the mood or distract those inclined toward sadness or anger. This is done by telling jokes, relaying funny anecdotes, or making witty observations. If any of these turn vulgar or offensive the attempts become awkward instead of humorous.
A humorous manner is a tendency to be the instigator of levity and to be ready with a laugh and a smile. Though some may use it seeking attention, others offer it as an inviting antidote to tense or stressful situations. Someone with a humorous manner with the right intent can smooth the most ruffled feathers and ease nerves stressed to their limits.
How Do You Get A Humorous Tone?
There are many ways a tone of voice or manner of speaking can be funny or humorous. It can be in the pitch, timing, or even word choice in a given situation. Is this something that can be developed? How can someone get a humorous tone?
Developing a humorous tone takes finding others that have versions of it and mimicking their timing, energy level, word choice, and even voice pitch. With practice you can develop your own. Tone is then usually coupled with body positioning and other non-verbal forms of communication.
We all know of these types of ‘tones’, even if we haven’t thought about it directly. There is a different level of energy, word selection, and conveyed emotion in a eulogy versus a best man speech.
A humorous tone in someone’s voice can also be a universal way he or she casually speaks. It may be a distinct attempt in a particular situation. If someone is considered a humorous person overall, it can be that their tone is humorous more often than not.
Now let’s look at the nuts and bolts of how developing an humorous tone and becoming a humorous person can be accomplished. Much of this come by finding those that display attributes of these more subtle forms of humor.
A humorous tone has many aspects like energy and emotional levels, but these are sometimes inherent in many forms of humor and delivery. Finding someone to mimick at least in part is one of the best ways to do this.
Here are a few types of humor that can be learned and used to develop a humorous tone of your own…
- Observational Humor
This is the type of humor that makes statements about society, people, and situations without doing it ‘on the nose’. There are no definite or formal structures to these jokes like with knock knock jokes, or puns. They can be slipped into conversations naturally and can have people laughing out loud and thinking you are humorous without trying.
- Deadpan Humor
This is one of those types of humor that can be placed in the middle of a conversation without others knowing it is meant to be a joke. Of course if it is done too much others will notice that you are deliberately trying to do it, but when used right, it can lead others to think you are humorous person in general.
One of the more famous uses of this in television is in the wildly popular show, The Office. Even quoting lines from the show to fans of the series will bring smiles and laughter. Yet, for our purpose here, mimicking the delivery, expressions, and energy levels of the actors in this show can help develop a humorous tone of your own.
- Word Play
This type of humor is not necessarily meant to bring laughter, but is designed to break the monotony of a business meeting, liven up a classroom, or make others feel at ease in an uncomfortable or stressful situation. One of the best ways to make others lighten up or feel less stressed is to tell obvious or over-the-top silly style jokes.
Word play can be one way to do it. It will usually take the mundane and add a twist that brings one of the key elements in any joke or attempt at humor: surprise.
- The Infamous ‘Dad Joke’
Dad jokes are those notoriously bad jokes that usually entail obvious puns or marginally funny attempts of many varieties of humor. The point of a dad joke is not necessarily to induce laughing out loud or LOL (See, a bit of a not so funny joke there, cause I’m a dad).
Dad jokes put us dads at the butt of the joke by being the one telling such and obvious or awful ones. An easy way to put others at ease is to be the one that everyone can focus on. That usually entails some level of self-effacing humor. Believe it or not, dad jokes are a way to do just that without things getting awkward.
What Do You Call A Playful Person And Is That Humorous?
Some people enjoy others that poke fun at them or that do unexpected things. There are those that also seem on the verge of doing or saying something silly at any moment. With these types of people in mind some ask, “What do you call a playful person?” But is that the same as being a humorous person?
A playful person is definitely a humorous person and can be called:
- Frisky – someone who is energetic and lively
- Sprightly – an animated or vivacious personality
- Jolly – a lively, entertaining, cheerful person
- Spirited – someone who is vigorous and courageous
- Light-hearted – fun and easygoing person
The picture that should be coming clear for us now is the fact that a humorous person involves many aspects of character, personality, and mannerisms. It is not simply the class clown looking for attention at the expense of others, but someone that generally likes to laugh and make others laugh.
A playful person fits the bill here as do several personality types. Being a humorous person is more of a way of being that can be created in individual and unique versions rather than a strict set of rules that someone lives by.
To see other great articles about character and virtue…
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- What Does It Mean To Be A Good Natured Person? (Explained)
- What Does It Mean to Be an Affable Person? 5 Surprising Qualities
What Is An Example Of A Humorous Person?
Now that the picture is forming in our minds of what it really means to be a humorous person, let’s look at some examples of people that can be considered one. Keep in mind though that not all aspects of a humorous person need to be found in any one individual. Each person will have their own unique spin on what it means.
Here are some famous examples of being a humorous person:
- Ryan Reynolds is a humorous person that has a sarcastic but approachable style.
- Chris Pratt is a famous example who uses his own blend of positivity and self-effacing humor.
- Tom Hanks has a very animated, but understated style.
Let’s look at each a bit deeper to see what it is that makes up a humorous person by analyzing each of them.
Humorous Person Example 1: Ryan Reynolds
There are a few things that make Ryan Reynolds very successful at being a widely accepted example of a humorous person. We won’t mention his oversized portion of good looks, which definitely doesn’t harm his cause. What I want to focus on here is his method of constant sarcasm that can make even the person it is aimed at comfortable with it.
Reynolds employs several ‘tricks of the trade’ that we can use in our everyday lives to have people seeing us as more humorous.
- The first is that he jokes all the time. This doesn’t mean it stops in stressful or even moderately serious situations.
- He is always ready with a sarcastic observation that lightens the mood and helps people control their emotions and think more rationally.
- It is a skill that needs to be developed for sure and he has obviously done the work.
- Next is his constant introduction of out of random or out of context word choices
- With his sarcasm there are two important observations.
- Much of the time he makes himself the object of the joke.
- If others are the object, he skillfully makes the statement so absurd or extreme that it doesn’t offend.
Humorous Person Example 2: Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt is a unique example of how being humorous, genuine, and generally likeable can all be accomplished at the same time. There are three main points to Pratt’s personality and mannerisms that we can learn from and teach to our kids. If you want your kids or even yourself to be more approachable and funny at the same time, take note of these.
- Be able to enjoy your own humor and be able to entertain yourself. It becomes infectious and makes others simply want to watch.
- He is a great example of using positivity to lighten the atmosphere of a room even if topics or situations are more serious.
- Chris Pratt is a master at making others feel comfortable with complimentary humor. He mixes compliments in with the absurd that would put anyone at ease.
Humorous Person Example 3: Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks has been a personality that I have followed since I first saw his portrayal of the boy who instantly became a man in the 1988 movie Big. He regularly outshines other actors in his films with is acting ability, but it is his way with people and crowds that interests us here.
Tom Hanks employs three main abilities in his understated style and manner.
- He knows how to lead a story in a conversation with an engaging ‘hook’. He leads the listeners to actually want to hear what was behind a seemingly odd or intriguing summary statement.
- If doing an impression or simply quoting someone, he sells the person with voice and mannerisms. His seemingly out of nowhere animated style engages those listening.
- This is the most important aspect of Hanks’ skill set. He includes everyone in a room and makes them feel as if they are part of the conversation.
This last point is one of the reasons that Hanks has has such a long and successful career. His ability to connect with people and portray someone they feel they could actually have a conversation with is uncanny.
What Does It Mean When Someone Is Hysterical?
There are extremes to a humorous personality that need to be addressed here. It is one thing to liven up a crowd and create a more positive environment. It is another to constantly try to make others laugh. There are definitely times for this and it is a great goal. Yet, what does it mean when someone is hysterical and is this something to keep in check?
When someone is deemed hysterical it refers to their ability to make others consistently and openly laugh at either antics or jokes. It usually applies to those that are actively trying to make others laugh and it therefore meant in a way that proposes they can be funny when they try to be.
As you can see, this is something that wouldn’t apply to a humorous person that is has honed their way of being naturally. This is a more concerted effort to make others laugh.
The ability to be able to make people laugh at will is most definitely a good skill and it is used by several comedians and amateurs alike. Yet, in our context of a humorous person it would be only one small aspect that may or may not be part of someone’s skill set.
We all enjoy a skillfully delivered and well crafted comedy routine or joke. They can be a lot of fun.
This deliberately choreographed bit though is only a tool used by an overall humorous person from time to time. There are many other more subtle ways that they lighten moods and bring smiles.
The Humorous Person Takeaway…
To be a humorous person it takes more than having a list of good jokes or stories. It takes more than perfecting delivery and timing. Though these can be tools used, they are simply that.
A humorous person puts others at ease enough to be able to laugh and feel comfortable. They are not malicious in their observations and when touchy subjects are raised, they are done so in such an absurd manner that most don’t feel uneasy.
It is a way of being rather than a list of things one can do. Though many aspects can be listed out and practiced daily to become a humorous person, the person makes it happen over time not the actions.
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