I am an amateur writer, but if the professional published authors can't get me to laugh when the story is supposed to be a comedy/humour then I say they did not do it well either. Either that or I just don't laugh easily enough.

I had been stared by people for giggling and chuckling at things they don't see funny.
So I classify myself having a very low laugh point.

... I never intently search for comedy genre. Most of the time, for English books, I look for fairy tales, mystery, fantasy... just not comedy.
But still... I read Chinese novel for those several genres, some author's pull the humour style off okay in romance and fantasy. Preferably, I would like the humour style is just the depiction of the plot on the genres that I mention.
Not humour comedy for the sake of it.

That makes sense. Do you usually read Chinese novels in simplified or traditional Chinese?

I don't even realise whether it is traditional or simplify when I read it. XD As in, I won't purposely acknowledge it being simplyfy or traditional when I read the story. Often when I am half way through a chapter, only realise that the words are in traditional in chapter 3, but I definitely remember chapter one is simplify. XD
I can read both. obviously.

That's good that you're able to read both...in general I can read simplified Chinese, and only the very basics at that. If it's a traditional way and it looks similar I can probably read the same character in traditional too...

I can't differentiate both system to the point that I got my marks deduct because I am using traditional words in my essay exam. -__-;; Come on! Teacher, it is not like you don't know what it means... you grew up on that! *screams~!*

Ling stay in western countries, right?

Yes, I live in a very much English speaking country...any Chinese I managed to learn has been either learned at home or at saturday Chinese school from my youth.

Consider yourself 'bless' with knowing Chinese. XD
Though I am not in Chinese dominated country, but we do have lot more Chinese schools than in western country, I am at South East Asia. Anyway, there are minority that focus so MUCH on English that they don't even know how to speak Chinese.

I don't purposely look down on Chinese that can't speak Chinese, but I surely appreciate Chinese know Chinese. XD Not so much about pride, because I am fine speaking English with them even they if know Chinese.
I encourage my cousins to take Chinese, I taught them it is an advantage to know more language. I plan to learn and picking up different languages through my whole life in my leisure time.

I am one of the *cough* "bananas". >.>;

Added your links to the front, Ling!

Hello there, Banana! XD
But as far as I can see... often, the banana kind of tends to EXCEL in studies.
So, I expect you to be a straight A student, Iroro.

Nah, nothing that excellent.
"Banana" is broadly putting it, though. I read a lot of HK comics growing up, so I can read Chinese somewhat, albeit very "pasar" Chinese. I can understand if it's spoken to me, but I utterly fail at being able to write it. My spoken Cantonese is also much better than my Mandarin.

lol. I am Hokkien but I can only speak Cantonese, in terms of dialects.
I just think Hong Kong really done a good job in their dramas. I remember during childhood times, Hong Kong Dramas flood tv2 all the time. Then in come Mega TV and take over by Astro. XD

Yep, most of the banana I know also speak Cantonese more. XD
You read... HK comics? As in... the all colour HK Wuxia comic? O__O Is that how you master your BISHIE skills?
I love all the muscles in those comics... *drooools*
but their story is... just... not my type.

I am a 100% Hakka from both sides of the family, but I know 0% of Hakka.
Ah, yes. I used to watch a lot of HK drama too, with my grandpa. I really enjoyed Journey to the West (obviously) and uh... the one about Black Rose and one more about a ghost of a singer possessing an uncle who hosts a radio show.

King of Fighters HK comics, actually.
I like Andy Seto's art style. So that was where I started off.

King of Fighters? Is that the comic title or genre? XD
I am really not into colourful comics...

Which Journey to the west? The one with the romance between the Monkey and the Spider?
Black Rose seemed to be a classic!

Andy Seto?... I need to search on that, I only know their Chinese name. It took me quite a long time to remember Andy Lau's name is Andy in English. XD

King of Fighters, the game. I believe Andy Seto drew for the comics for the KoF 2000 series.

And Andy Seto has his own Wiki, what do you know!

The one with Dicky Cheung. I still think he was the best Wukong so far in my life of watching Journey to the West.

Dicky Cheung... *search*
*screaaaam* Yeah, that is the one!!
Even the pig in that particular version seems likable. XD But they changed another actor for the 2nd part... I didn't know their difference because, lol, the monkey is covered in golden fur. Can't tell~

Thanks for adding me Iro...*high fives fellow banana*

I am half Cantonese half Tee Chow (which from my understanding is also part of Canton in China) background...my parents grew up in South East Asia but what did I learn from them? Mandarin...It's a weird mix, especially for me growing up in an English speaking country. I can sometimes understand people speaking Cantonese though...in terms of speaking it myself, that's a challenge.

I support all bananas. Even the odd one like this one here:

Watch a lot of HK Drama, you will eventually learn Cantonese. XD

I could never understand Cantonese. @___@;;; I'm having trouble understanding Chinese as it is with so many different accents.

That's probably how they feel about English.

It reminds me of the time I interpreted for an elderly Chinese woman (not sure if Cantonese of Mandarin or what) and an young Indian man. They were starting to argue because they couldn't understand each others accents. One was like "Learn English" the other was like "NO YOU LEARN I SPEAK BETTER THAN YOU!" The guy just looked at me and threw his hands in the air and was like "Whats this woman talking about?" And started holding up the line.

She was trying to ask if certain items were included in the sale but he thought she was trying to ask for buy one get two deal. She had one of the best smiles ever when I told him what she was trying to say and that I understood her threw the thick accent. Honestly though it was mostly her body language and the stores signage of the sale that I understood. XD

I just wanted to take her home with me. It was really cute. I miss my grandparents so much!

That is how I feel about French, german, Spanish, Italian, Greek and all others language that I don't know. XD

Though, Chinese and Indian both have multiple various dialects in smaller tribes... so it is hard to know about those accent. But majority, when talking about national language/dialect for China is Mandarin.

It's weird, I heard that for Cantonese speakers to learn Mandarin it is not that hard, because of the supposed similarities...and i think because there are a lot of official resources and classes people can take to learn Mandarin. As for Mandarin speakers learning Cantonese, very different story, because of the slangish style of Cantonese dialect and because there is lack of ways to learn it through resources and lessons...if you're good enough at learning languages, maybe you could learn through watching HK series, which is how I know some people have managed to learn Cantonese on top of a different Chinese dialect.

I don't watch much live action dramas...in any language. let alone a language I don't really understand with Chinese subtitles, which don't really help me much...

HK dramas is not just action genre... or do you mean live real people?
At where I am, the consensus is, it is easier to learn Cantonese than Mandarin. Because of HK dramas. At least my ring of friends. Most of the time, the banana here know how to speak Cantonese more than Mandarin.

I sometimes have trouble understanding people who speak English too if they have a heavy(er) accent. xD Like that time I made a call to an airline to ask about a ticket and the worker who picked up the phone had a Spanish accent. I had to kept asking her to repeat herself. >__>

I don't watch dramas...I prefer shows that end in one 'episode' and not have to go through 10+ hours watching something that you can't miss an episode of. >.>

Most people here speak Mandarin and Taiwanese/Hokkien(?)...I've been here for over ten years but still have trouble understanding Taiwanese. I guess I don't have much talent for languages. ^^;