Smiling or laughing is a "universal language" :-)

Short answer; sometimes. > soft, scattered, 'knowing' chuckles< I dunno if this is a 'trick' or 'serious' question, nor why it can't be both at the same time > More general 'knowing' chuckles.< I do not understand Baa's logic in determining what kind of question it *was* nor in determining that there *is* a 'real' answer. > Soft "oooooo"< Nor do I understand what a 'negative' is, 'incorrect?' 'offensive'? And why is the ' "fact" ' 'loosely related'? I gave Ala a 'useful' just to counteract the sheep's illogical rating. > Wide spread, loud "Ooooooo!" < However I do not completely agree with Ala's "universal language" > Sympathetic 'aws', slight muttering< While the smile may be universal,( Come on lets see a smile, turn that frown upside down. That's not a smile, that's just an upside down frown! > Wide spread hilarity, hoots.< ) As anon> interrupting, lingering chuckles<... As anon, anon.....anon > soft chuckles< As anon alluded to, different cultures and/or languages have different accents or sounds for various 'classifications' of laughter, such as derision, ridicule, hilarity, amusement, etc, sometimes the difference can be in loudness or time duration of the laughter, > short puzzled hums< In addition, sounds may have completely different, even opposite meanings. > bored shuffling of feet, shifting in seats < For example, in the USA > short applause "USA! USA!"< , loud enthusiastic whistling is usually a sign of appreciation, in some places, Eastern Europe, the same whistling is a sound of disapproval. Rhythmic clapping and foot stomping, in the US can be sign of enthusiastic support, or a strong request, "we want the show! We want the show!" or just an impatient signal to get on with it. > short rhythmic stomping and clapping, followed by scattered chuckles< But in some cultures the same thing is a strong signal of disapproval > mutterings of understanding< Sometimes those differences in meaning have caused confusion and even resentment, such as to competitors in some of the more 'entreating' Olympic events, gymnastics and figure skating for example, some don't understand what seem to be derisive reactions to excellent performances, nor what seems to be enthusiastic agreement with biased judges low scoring of excellent performances. > Mutters of understanding and agreement, scattered "oh, yeah" and one "I remember that"< Mostly I hate laugh tracks and am going to turn off the "laugh machine."> Max volume, long lasting, Enthusiastic applause, cheering, whistles, hoots, rapid foot stomping < (Laugh machine-Most common apparatus resembles an organ, having horizontal and vertical keys and foot pedals. The engineer "orchestrates" the laugh track by using the keyboard to select the type, sex, and age of the laugh and other sounds, while playing the foot pedals to determine each reaction's length and volume. Other audience sounds and specific comments are on tape with other sound effects.) These days many American shows are not redubbed into other languages, but the laugh track is. Not only for the "accent" reasons but because different cultures just don't find the same things funny, or deserving the same kind of reaction. In America situations dealing with sex, love, or just "Jr's got a girlfriend" get a loud " Ooooooooooooo," a 'Uh oh somebody got caught doing something wrong.' Other cultures don't see anything funny or 'wrong' about it at all. In America instances of verbal 'wit' are usually greeted with applause and maybe a few chuckles, other cultures react with hilarity. Insults, 'digs', or 'gotchas' usually get that "Oooooo" in America, others may applaud, chuckle, or even be offended by it. Puns usually get a groan in English speaking cultures, others, even if the pun is in English, laugh outloud. Some cultures are just more reserved about expressing enthusiasm or appreciation in general. It is not just 'language culture' but 'time culture' that might get a re-dubbed laugh track. Some older TV shows are released into syndication after being 're-laughed.' Sometimes it is even possible to watch a show released by one syndicator with a different track than the same episode released by another. The new track might be used because of the way people reacted back then, differences in what was and wasn't as funny back then as it is now, or just the way the track was used then. 'The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet' used only one laugh throughout its half-hour running time, while 'The Abbott and Costello Show' used an uproarious laugh track which ran continuously, regardless of the action on screen. In America especially, the track is so ubiquitous that producers just automatically add one. Compare many British comedies which do not have a track to most American ones which do. Especially comparing the American counterparts, or more truthfully, not as funny, copy cats, even when both versions do or do not have a laugh track, the British just pull it off better. I find the British "The Office" hilarious, the American version is just annoying, the American 'Coupling' ludicrous with it's 'nudge, nudge, wink, wink ' broadness compared to the British who played it straight, but I digress. ( So what else is new? > Max volume general hilar..< sorry my finger slipped.) The laughtrack is so prevalent in America that a big deal is made of shows that don't use one, The Office, My Name is Earl, Earl is damn funny BTW. Well, now I am digressing from my digression so I might as well add that many laugh tracks still in use are direct recordings of audience reactions from I Love Lucy and the Red Skelton Show, the former because of the 'sight gas', the latter because of the pantomime performances, neither of which had dialogue or sound effects. If you feel the need to be really annoyed, turn the TV down to where you can't really understand the dialogue and position yourself so you can't see the screen, listen to the laugh track. The rhythm and general timing of the laughs and there loudness, intensity, and duration. You can often discern just how funny a show really is, or rather isn't just by the over use of the track. You'll also notice a certain amount of repetition, even from different shows. Even 'I Love Lucy''s sound engineers regularly peppered many of the episodes with a handful of easy-to-recognize laughs. Or maybe there were some truly dedicated fans who never missed a taping. > gener...< oh no not going there again. OK I'm through, don't laugh, I know , > Max verbosity<

I've lived in Eastern Europe for 13 years. Laughter sounds the same here as at home. On the other hand, people don't always laugh at the same jokes, sometimes because they don't get them in a different culture, often because the corniest old chestnuts you ever heard in America are brand new (and therefore funny) here. I don't watch much TV but can't remember ever hearing a laugh track on one of their programs. Mostly we get imports with the sound track turned down and a translation dubbed over it--and some jokes simply can't be translated so a laugh track wouldn't make sense. Other times, things that we don't think are jokes strike foreigners funny--what's funny about the Red Sox and White Sox? But Japanese think those names are laughable. If we're really lucky they'll turn the sound track off entirely (it costs more to do it that way) and all you'll hear is the translation. It was a real hoot hearing a French soprano do Dolly Parton without hearing a hint of her hillbilly drawl. Rhythmic clapping is extremely common and at rock concerts I guess some of the same whistling and antics go on as elsewhere.