Coming from the Latin word irrisorius , the adjective irrisorius allows you to describe that which causes laughter . The ridiculous, therefore, causes amusement or is a source of ridicule .
The most common use of the concept is linked to what, because it is so small or insignificant, is funny since it cannot be taken seriously . For example: "The Government offered teachers a ridiculous salary increase that was immediately rejected by the workers" , "Thanks to the exchange rate, it is possible for Europeans to eat for a ridiculous price in our country" , "The companies promised a week of promotions but in the end they only offered ridiculous discounts .
In the first case, the Government intends to solve a problem related to the budget allocated to education with a proposal that borders on insulting, so that teachers do not accept it because they consider they deserve a much higher payment. These types of decisions by those who have the resources for the development of a country in their hands are as regrettable as they are common.
It is necessary to point out that the nuance that links the term laughable with laughter should not be related to joy, a factor that is present when we laugh spontaneously, but rather to irony : we covertly mock what was said, calling it laughable, since instead of grace it causes us sorrow.
The example of the situation that some people find themselves in abroad given the exchange rate is also unfortunate for local people: while tourists lead a royal life with a middle-class salary during their holidays, locals struggle every month to cover their basic expenses despite working twice as many hours as them or more, with far fewer social privileges.
Finally, a week or period in which major stores promise their customers a series of incredible discounts that ultimately do not materialize, can be very frustrating for customers. However, it is a fairly common practice, which is sometimes masked by tactics such as supposedly selling out of the most tempting products in a matter of minutes, even if they have never been on sale.
Take the case of a football player who earns $500,000 per month in his current team. As the end of his contract approaches, he begins to listen to offers from other clubs. Thus, when meeting with the president of an entity interested in adding him to its staff, the manager proposes a contract of $15,000 per month . The offer seems ridiculous to the player, since the figure barely reaches 3% of what he currently earns.
Suppose that the employees of a transportation company are negotiating a salary increase with the firm's managers. In this framework, the company offers an increase of 8% ; However, as inflation last year was 25% in the country, the workers' delegates rejected the proposal, calling it "laughable" and announced a strike as a measure of protest. With this initiative, the workers intend to exert pressure and force the company to make a new salary proposal, with a much more significant increase.
Let's see below some of the most common synonyms of the term laughable : comical, grotesque, ridiculous , funny, insignificant, negligible , minimal, despicable and minuscule . Among its antonyms, which can also help us understand its meaning in greater depth, are valuable, important and serious . In short, the reaction of an individual to a situation considered laughable is negative, of frustration, of disappointment, but not of laughter in the literal sense of the word.