The Languages of Humor: Verbal, Visual, and Physical Humor (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)

Why are things funny? How has humor changed over the centuries? How can humor be a political force? Featuring expert authors from across the globe, __The Languages of Humor__ discusses three main types of humour: verbal, visual, and physical. Despite the differences between them, all have a common purpose, showing us in different ways the reality that we live in, and how we can reflect on that reality. To this end, the book shows how humor has been used to address such topics as the Holocaust and the Soviet Union, and why it has been controversial in cases including Charlie Hebdo. __The Languages of Humor__ explores a subject that is of interest in a wide range of intellectual disciplines including sociology, psychology, communication, philosophy, history, social sciences, linguistics, computer science, literature, theatre, education, and cultural studies. This volume features contributions from world-leading academics, some of who have professional backgrounds in this field. This unique research-led book, which includes over 20 illustrations, offers a top-down analysis of humor studies. Why Are Things Funny? How Has Humor Changed Over The Centuries? Why Don't Political Leaders Like To Be Presented In Caricatures? What Do Jokes Tell Us About Ourselves? Why Does Slipping On A Banana Peel Make So Many People Laugh? Featuring Expert Authors From Across The Globe, The Languages Of Humor Discusses Various Types Of Humor: Verbal, Visual And Physical. The Languages Of Humor Explores Many Types Of Humor, And Does So Across A Wide Range Of Intellectual Disciplines Including Sociology, Psychology, Communication, Philosophy, History, Social Sciences, Linguistics, Computer Science, Literature, Theatre, Education And Culture Studies. Some Of The Contributors To This Volume, As Well As Being Academics, Also Have A Professional Background In Humor Which Makes The Book Unique. This Is Research-led Book Offers A Top-down Analysis Of Humor Studies-- Jokes And Insults: Language And Aggression / Christie Davies -- How Jokes Work?: Seven Humor Theories In Search Of A Joke, Multidisciplinary Perspectives On A Humorous Text / Arthur Asa Berger -- God, Jokes, Parnusseh & Tsores: Jewish Humor / Joseph Dorinson -- Holocaust Jokes On American And Israeli Situational Comedies: Signalling Positions Of Memory Intimacy And Distance / Jeffrey Scott Demsky, Liat Steir-livny -- Intertextuality And Cultural Literary In Contemporary Political Jokes / Villy Tsakona -- Humor And Liminality: A Case Study Of The Maltese Gahan / Mary Ann Cassar -- Multifacet Pragmatics Of Russian Post-soviet Jokes / Kravchenko Nataliia, Pasternak Tetiana Anatoliivna -- Caricature As A Weapon In Class Struggle: Early Soviet Graphic Satire 1917-1930 / Annie Gérin -- The Interplay Between Visual And Verbal Language In Famous Last Words Cartoons / Carla Canestrari -- Inside Jokes: Identifying Humorous Cartoon Captions Algorithmically / Dafna Shahaf, Bob Mankoff, Eric Horvitz -- Caricature As Desacralization Of The Image: The Charlie Hebdo Case / Ayelet Lilti -- The Internet Political Meme As A Remediation Of The Political Cartoon / Khin-wee Chen -- Slapstick Comedy: Under What Conditions Can Body Movements Be Humorous? / Paul Bouissac -- Slapstick In The American Cinema: From Circus Clowns To The First Cinema Comedians / Arie Sover -- Slapstick Humor In Children's Popular Literature / Evangeline E. Nwokah -- Shenanigans On Stage: Cultural Re-appropriation Of Classical Music Through Comedy / Terri Toles Patkin -- Consequential Slapstick: Staging The Aristophanic Slapstick In Lysistrata / Vicky Manteli. Edited By Arie Sover. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of Contributors Acknowledgments Introduction Part 1: Verbal Humor 1. Jokes and Insults: Language and Aggression 2. How Jokes Work? Seven Humor Theorists in Search of a Joke: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on a Humorous Text 3. God, Jokes, Parnusseh & Tsores: Jewish Humor 4. Holocaust Jokes on American and Israeli Situational Comedies: Signaling Positions of Memory Intimacy and Distance 5. Intertextuality and Cultural Literacy in Contemporary Political Jokes 6. Humor and Liminality: A Case Study of the Maltese Ġaħan 7. Multifacet Pragmatics of Russian Post-Soviet Jokes Part 2: Visual Humor 8. Caricature as a Weapon in Class Struggle: Early Soviet Graphic Satire 9. The Interplay Between Visual and Verbal Language in “Famous Last Words” Cartoons 10. Inside Jokes: Identifying Humorous Cartoon Captions Algorithmically 11. Caricature as Desacralization of the Image: The Charlie Hebdo Case 12. The Internet Political Meme as Remediation of the Political Cartoon Part 3: Physical Humor 13. Slapstick Comedy: Under What Conditions Can Body Movements be Humorous? 14. Slapstick in the American Cinema: From Circus Clowns to the First Cinema Comedians 15. Slapstick Humor in Children’s Popular Literature 16. Shenanigans on Stage: Cultural Reappropriation of Classical Music through Slapstick 17. Consequential Slapstick: Staging the Aristophanic Slapstick in Lysistrata Index "Why are things funny? How has humor changed over the centuries? How can humor be a political force? Featuring expert authors from across the globe, The Languages of Humor discusses three main types of humour: verbal, visual, and physical. Despite the differences between them, all have a common purpose, showing us in different ways the reality that we live in, and how we can reflect on that reality. To this end, the book shows how humor has been used to address such topics as the Holocaust and the Soviet Union, and why it has been controversial in cases including Charlie Hebdo. The Languages of Humor explores a subject that is of interest in a wide range of intellectual disciplines including sociology, psychology, communication, philosophy, history, social sciences, linguistics, computer science, literature, theatre, education, and cultural studies. This volume features contributions from world-leading academics, some of who have professional backgrounds in this field. This unique research-led book, which includes over 20 illustrations, offers a top-down analysis of humor studies." -- Publisher's description "Why are things funny? How has humor changed over the centuries? How can humor be a political force? Featuring expert authors from across the globe, The Languages of Humor discusses three main types of humour: verbal, visual, and physical. Despite the differences between them, all have a common purpose, showing us in different ways the reality that we live in, and how we can reflect on that reality. To this end, the book shows how humor has been used to address such topics as the Holocaust and the Soviet Union, and why it has been controversial in cases including Charlie Hebdo. The Languages of Humor explores a subject that is of interest in a wide range of intellectual disciplines including sociology, psychology, communication, philosophy, history, social sciences, linguistics, computer science, literature, theatre, education, and cultural studies. This volume features contributions from world-leading academics, some of who have professional backgrounds in this field. This unique research-led book, which includes over 20 illustrations, offers a top-down analysis of humor studies."--Bloomsbury Publishing.