proverb · Words worth keeping
Manual jokes are clown’s jokes.
Manual jokes are clown’s jokes.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Physical horseplay can impose discomfort or injury on another person. Humour should leave people free to participate rather than making their body the object of a joke.
Example
Friends stop a pushing game when someone objects rather than insisting that discomfort proves the person has no sense of humour.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The saying dismisses jokes made with the hands as crude. Its useful concern is the difference between shared amusement and physical interference presented as entertainment. A prank may seem harmless to its maker while startling, humiliating or hurting the recipient. Ask whether the other person has freely agreed to take part and whether the activity is safe in the actual setting. The word clown need not become an insult to performers or a social class. Focus instead on the conduct and whether the joke respects the people affected.
When to use it
Use it to question physical pranks imposed on unwilling participants.
Keep in mind
Consensual, safe play can be enjoyable. The problem is pressure, disregard or harm, not every form of physical comedy.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown