Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Language in Context
- Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics
- The Cambridge Handbook of Language in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Language in Context Studies
- Part I Language in Context: A Sociohistorical Perspective
- Part II Philosophical, Semantic, and Grammatical Approaches to Context
- Part III Pragmatic Approaches to Context
- Part IV Applications of Context Studies
- 15 Language Learning and Assessment in Context
- 16 Linguistic Creativity and Humor in Context
- 17 Context in Translation and Interpreting Studies
- 18 The Role of Context in Clinical Linguistics
- Part V Advances in Multimodal and Technological Context-Based Research
- Index
- References
16 - Linguistic Creativity and Humor in Context
from Part IV - Applications of Context Studies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 November 2023
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Edited by
Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Language in Context
- Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics
- The Cambridge Handbook of Language in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Language in Context Studies
- Part I Language in Context: A Sociohistorical Perspective
- Part II Philosophical, Semantic, and Grammatical Approaches to Context
- Part III Pragmatic Approaches to Context
- Part IV Applications of Context Studies
- 15 Language Learning and Assessment in Context
- 16 Linguistic Creativity and Humor in Context
- 17 Context in Translation and Interpreting Studies
- 18 The Role of Context in Clinical Linguistics
- Part V Advances in Multimodal and Technological Context-Based Research
- Index
- References
Summary
While linguistic creativity is an essential feature of those who actively create instances of verbally expressed humor (VEH), awareness of context is equally indispensable. Humor is primarily cognitive, so it follows that language is the lowest common denominator between speaker/writer and receiver, in order for a joke, pun, quip, etc., to achieve its goal and, above all, to be recognized as being humorous in intent. However, over and above familiarity with the formal rules of a common language between interactants, successfully transmitted humor is also context dependent. Context involves both adherence to pragmatic rules and the recipient’s sociocultural encyclopedia. And if these two elements were not sufficient, humor also embroils the issue of sense of humor and the moral closeness/distance of our recipient to the object of our humor in order for it to be considered benign.
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- Information
- The Cambridge Handbook of Language in Context , pp. 353 - 370Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023
References
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