Verbal humor without switching scripts and without non-bona fide communication

Bibliographic Data

ID12196337
AuthorsJohn Morreall (William & Mary, corresponding author)
Year2004
Volume17
Issue4
Publication date2004-01-23
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHumor - International Journal of Humor Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0933-1719 • E-ISSN: 1613-3722
PublisherDe Gruyter Mouton (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/humr.2004.17.4.393
OpenAlexW2019242850
LanguageEN
Citations received8

According to Raskin's script-theory, five factors are necessary for verbal humor: 1) a switch from the bona fide mode of communication to the non-bona fide mode of joke-telling; 2) the text of an intended joke; 3) two (partially) overlapping scripts compatible with the text; 4) an oppositeness relation between the two scripts; and 5) a trigger, obvious or implied, realizing the oppositeness relation. I argue that although this theory works well with prepared fictional jokes, it does not explain all verbal humor. The reason is that prepared fictional jokes are a sophisticated kind of verbal humor with features which are not shared by other kinds of verbal humor. I illustrate with examples of semantic, phonetic, and pragmatic techniques for creating verbal humor without switching scripts and/or without switching to non-bona fide communication

Humor research · Joke · Linguistics · Mode (computer interface · Nonverbal communication · Relation (database · Scripting language · Communication · Computer Science · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Humor Studies and Applications · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology

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