> In North America, one does not hear the word “jest” that often
That's not my experience. But certainly I'll admit that North America is a big place, and your experience could be different. I grew up in a blue collar town in the midwest of the US.
I hear "jest" all the time, and hear it in all kinds of company. But usually I only hear it in one of two idioms: "I jest", usually said after a joke if it's apparent that the listener is taking offense to something just said; and "only half in jest", indicating that the speaker wants you to take what s/he just said seriously.
That's not my experience. But certainly I'll admit that North America is a big place, and your experience could be different. I grew up in a blue collar town in the midwest of the US.
I hear "jest" all the time, and hear it in all kinds of company. But usually I only hear it in one of two idioms: "I jest", usually said after a joke if it's apparent that the listener is taking offense to something just said; and "only half in jest", indicating that the speaker wants you to take what s/he just said seriously.
It's that second idiom that he uses.