[General] Here's my code....

[Silverobama]

In order to show a sense of humor in my 90 minute speech, I decided to add some jokes. (I'm going to give a speech which lasts for 90 minutes about how to study idiomatic English in China.)

Before I started my talk, I used this to warm it up "Here's my QR code. Please scan it and pay me the ticket fee".

The speech is totally free and also the participants are my friends, but I said the above to make myself less nervous.

Is the italic sentence natural?

Edited: QR code is the code in many apps here which one scan to pay money. For example, I buy some fruit in a store and I scan a code to pay the money. It's called QR code here.

 

[slevlife]

Yes, your sentences sound natural. However, to my ear there is not enough context here for it to sound like a joke. I think you need to make it more clear that it's a joke, or it might just confuse people.

 

[Rover_KE]

I agree.

Jokes often lose a lot in translation. Some of your friends may get very worried.

 

[probus]

I'd go further and say that jokes in general cannot be translated. I was once flying Air France and my seatmate, a Frenchman, was staring lugubriously at his laptop. I was able to make out that he was watching Mrs Doubtfire, dubbed into French. No wonder he never cracked his cobwebs! Who could do Robin Williams in French and make it funny?

 

[Silverobama]

However, to my ear there is not enough context here for it to sound like a joke. I think you need to make it more clear that it's a joke, or it might just confuse people.

Much appreciated.

Jokes often lose a lot in translation. Some of your friends may get very worried.

I'd go further and say that jokes in general cannot be translated.

I didn't translate that into English, Rover. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I agree with probus too, but again, it was translated into English.

People who will attend that speech event are friends of mine and maybe some new participants. Everyone needs to buy a drink to support the coffe bar but they don't need to pay for any activities there. (There are many activities every week in that coffee bar. Monday, singing songs. Tuesday, public speaking event....) Mine is also free of charge. So, I suddenly tell them to scan my code and they'll be surprised and then I'll say "I'm joking", I think they'll laugh. Yes, I must say that it's not very funny but we sometimes joke in the bar like this. The bar owner is also a joke lover too.

Speaking of my sentence. I hope to make it concise and more accurate:

"Here's my QR code. Please scan it and pay me the ticket fee".

When I say this to them, I must be holding my phone. So, "here's my QR code" is not necessary, am I right? Can I simply say "Please scan here (showing them the code on my phone) to pay me for listening to my speech". The joke might work because they know that they don't need to pay and I try to make fun of these old friends.

Please help me with the bold italic new try.

Much appreciated!

 

[Rover_KE]

I don't know why you've spent the time writing all that.

Even professional stand-up comedians can fall flat on their faces.

I say cut that part out and get on with your talk.

 

[Silverobama]

I don't know why you've spent the time writing all that.

Even professional stand-up comedians can fall flat on their faces.

I say cut that part out and get on with your talk.

When my language adviser was still alive, she encouraged me to make more mistakes. She said "The only way to make progress is to make mistakes". I wrote all those things because I also wanted to try something new after learning English for more than 20 years. I don't think it's wrong, but just something you don't like.

I think as an experienced teacher, you also encouraged your student to use the language in a different and creative way, didn't you?

Would you please delete this thread and give me a chance to ask elsewhere?

 

[Rover_KE]

We don't delete threads at the OP's request when they have received multiple replies.

There is nothing to stop you asking elsewhere.

Incidentally, in all fairness, I have to say that the standard of your English in the posts in this thread has been better than it often is in your preambles to other threads.

For example:

I will give a speech tomorrow and I want to talk about "food waste" in China. I can't accept all these things when I see there are so many food left on most restaurants' tables. I know there are many countries in history don't have enough food and war took place later. I believe if we keep waste food, people become hungry, famine come and war ensues. I write a sentence to express the idea

That needed a lot of corrections.

When my language adviser was still alive, she encouraged me to make more mistakes. She said "The only way to make progress is to make mistakes". I wrote all those things because I also wanted to try something new after learning English for more than 20 years. I don't think it's wrong, but just something you don't like.

I think as an experienced teacher, you also encouraged your student to use the language in a different and creative way, didn't you?

Excellent!

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't see the need for a joke but, if you must make one, do it at the end. When you finish your talk, you could just say "Thanks for listening, everyone. You can pay me later!" During the final sentence, give them a wink and a smile. They'll probably laugh, clap again, and might even buy you a drink afterwards.

 

[Silverobama]

I don't see the need for a joke but, if you must make one, do it at the end. When you finish your talk, you could just say "Thanks for listening, everyone. You can pay me later!" During the final sentence, give them a wink and a smile. They'll probably laugh, clap again, and might even buy you a drink afterwards.

Much appreciated. Last time I ate out with my vegan friend, I also said something simliar and he smiled.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

You can make jokes anywhere in a speech. If people laugh, it's a good one. If they don't, it's probably not.*

I've never heard of a QR code, but I'll assume the people you were addressing have.

And — a ninety-minute speech? Really? I don't think I've ever heard a speech or lecture that long.

--------------

* Here in Maine, people are notoriously unexpressive. We have a comedian whose jokes are all about Mainers. He tells a story of doing his entire routine for an audience that never even cracked a smile.

He thought he'd bombed. So after the show, instead of going out into the lobby to meet people, he hid around a corner where he could eavesdrop on their comments. And he heard one guy say, "Jeez, that guy was so darn funny I almost laughed out loud a couple of times!"