How do you teach banter to someone who doesn't get it?

Posted by Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 73 comments

I watch far too many "culture shock" videos on YouTube etc where non-Brits often say they are surprised by how much affection we show through insulting each other. We seem to learn this just by osmosis, so that by adulthood we immediately understand whether "oi dickhead" is a loving greeting or a fight breaking out, based primarily on the relationship of the participants. So it's been fascinating for me to watch this develop in my children in real time - and we've recently realised that our youngest *does not get it*. He wildly overestimates both how insulting he can be and how aggressive someone else is trying to be. And there are certainly enough British adults who shrug off accusations of cruelty or bullying by saying "just banter innit" when the rest of the room thinks they've gone way too far. How would you explain how proper British banter is meant to work? Are any topics fully out of bounds for you, or is it contextual?