Abstract
The chapter aimed to investigate and compare jokes about women in four different languages: Italian, Spanish, English and Mandarin Chinese. The main purpose was to compare how the punchlines of jokes about women (hereafter women jokes) are constructed in the four languages. The study first collected data from several Web sites featuring women jokes that show female characteristics. The theoretical background for this research is based on the incongruity-resolution theory (Shultz (1972). We attempted to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the elements that construct Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese women jokes’ punchlines? (2) What are the differences between the punchlines? Results indicate that the humor shown in women jokes’ punchlines in the four languages can be classified into 12 categories, of which the most frequent one in Italian, English and Chinese is ANAPHORA (CONTENT), while in Spanish it is ANSWER. Meanwhile, cultural differences were detected in the construction of the punchlines. Humorous statements, illustrated differently according to language and culture. As such, the different constructions of punchlines could help Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese language learners better understand the humor expressed in such jokes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Embodiment in Language (II) |
| Subtitle of host publication | Food, Emotion and Beyond |
| Publisher | Springer Singapore |
| Pages | 111-133 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9789811017995 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9789811017971 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 Jan 1 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Arts and Humanities(all)
- Social Sciences(all)
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The punchlines of jokes about women in Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. / Lovo, Noemi; Depner, Shelley Ching yu.
Embodiment in Language (II): Food, Emotion and Beyond. Springer Singapore, 2016. p. 111-133.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
TY - CHAP
T1 - The punchlines of jokes about women in Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese
AU - Lovo, Noemi
AU - Depner, Shelley Ching yu
PY - 2016/1/1
Y1 - 2016/1/1
N2 - The chapter aimed to investigate and compare jokes about women in four different languages: Italian, Spanish, English and Mandarin Chinese. The main purpose was to compare how the punchlines of jokes about women (hereafter women jokes) are constructed in the four languages. The study first collected data from several Web sites featuring women jokes that show female characteristics. The theoretical background for this research is based on the incongruity-resolution theory (Shultz (1972). We attempted to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the elements that construct Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese women jokes’ punchlines? (2) What are the differences between the punchlines? Results indicate that the humor shown in women jokes’ punchlines in the four languages can be classified into 12 categories, of which the most frequent one in Italian, English and Chinese is ANAPHORA (CONTENT), while in Spanish it is ANSWER. Meanwhile, cultural differences were detected in the construction of the punchlines. Humorous statements, illustrated differently according to language and culture. As such, the different constructions of punchlines could help Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese language learners better understand the humor expressed in such jokes.
AB - The chapter aimed to investigate and compare jokes about women in four different languages: Italian, Spanish, English and Mandarin Chinese. The main purpose was to compare how the punchlines of jokes about women (hereafter women jokes) are constructed in the four languages. The study first collected data from several Web sites featuring women jokes that show female characteristics. The theoretical background for this research is based on the incongruity-resolution theory (Shultz (1972). We attempted to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the elements that construct Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese women jokes’ punchlines? (2) What are the differences between the punchlines? Results indicate that the humor shown in women jokes’ punchlines in the four languages can be classified into 12 categories, of which the most frequent one in Italian, English and Chinese is ANAPHORA (CONTENT), while in Spanish it is ANSWER. Meanwhile, cultural differences were detected in the construction of the punchlines. Humorous statements, illustrated differently according to language and culture. As such, the different constructions of punchlines could help Italian, English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese language learners better understand the humor expressed in such jokes.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85018620988&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85018620988&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-981-10-1799-5_8
DO - 10.1007/978-981-10-1799-5_8
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:85018620988
SN - 9789811017971
SP - 111
EP - 133
BT - Embodiment in Language (II)
PB - Springer Singapore
ER -