Danish ambassador: Vikings influenced British humor

LONDON, March 5 (UPI) -- The Danish ambassador to Britain said the similarity in comedic sensibilities between the two countries can be traced back to the Vikings.

Claus Grube, Denmark's ambassador to Britain, said the "common heritage" between the two countries includes the common comedic use of sarcasm, irony and understatement, which he said originates with comic takes from the Old Norse sagas, the Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

"It has always struck me that in the U.K. we have the same sense of humor as in Denmark," Grube said.

"We use sarcasm and irony, and we also like understatement. I think this forms part of our common heritage, stemming from the Vikings and some of the legacy they have left," he said. "I think this legacy forms part of the way we express ourselves and the way we interact and the way you use language."