Do Amish people tell jokes?

The Amish have a healthy sense of humor

amish tell jokesAmish people enjoy jokes like any other people – which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Spending a lot of time around family and friends, as the Amish do, provides a perfect venue for laughs.

This might surprise some, as it’s the opposite of how the Amish are often portrayed – as a dour and serious people. In most cases, this portrayal is quite far from the truth.

Amish people enjoy a laugh as much as anyone

Amish people generally have a good, wholesome sense of humor. They are able to laugh at themselves and have the sense of distance to see themselves from an outside perspective and understand how we “English” might view their ways as peculiar.

A funny sign in an Amish store: "If you see me talking to myself just move along, we're having a team meeting"
Sign in an Amish-owned popcorn shop. Lancaster County, PA.

For example, Amish people like to joke about their approach to technology – maybe as much as we do. Much Amish humor revolves around the family, and Amish occupations like farming.

An Amish Joke

Like any human beings, some Amish people are quite witty. Others enjoy puns. Amish tell “general-consumption” jokes as well as jokes about themselves.

Here’s one example of an “Amish joke“, taken from the Amish-read publication The Budget:

Later that afternoon my parents and I went to David Bylers’ (sister Betty) in Conneautville and returned home the next day. Davids are in the process of selling their year-old puppy. While in a conversation by phone of an interested buyer, the guy asked if they’d be able to deliver the dog to his place. When Betty mentioned that they are Amish, he let out a long drawn out, “Ohhh!” and asked, “full blooded?”  -Dorothy Hershberger, Guys Mills, PA

This example of typical Amish humor suggests that Amish people understand the appeal of labeling products and even, in this case, animals, as “Amish”.

Funny Amish Business Signs
These signs in an Amish-owned business attest to a healthy sense of humor. Image credit: Tom

Most Amish people have a healthy sense of humor. They realize the sometimes stark difference in their lifestyle, and that of the outside world. They know that we non-Amish find certain things about Amish life amusing.

At Amish America, we often hear jokes from Amish friends. Here’s an example of the Amish sense of humor.

Photo credit: Flipside – Kate Penn

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