HUMOR: A SEMIOGENETIC APPROACH

by

Susan C. Vogel

8ft
BPX 9 Studienverlag Dr. Norbert Brockmeyer Bochum 1989

CONTENTS

0 INTRODUCTION 1 THE SEMIOGENETIC VIEW OF HUMOR 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.5.1 1.5.2 1.5.3 Introduction to the Semiogenetic Approach Historical Survey of Humor Research: Basic Issues Cognitive Psychology and Linguistics: Concrete Questions.... The Semiogenetic Contribution The Signs of Humor Developmental Typology: Play, Humor, and Joke Situations Play Humor The Joke

1 4 4 5 17 21 27 37 41 46 49 59 59 66 67 73 73 76 80 81 83 83 84 85 87 89

2 THE PARAMETERS OF THE HUMOR SITUATION 2.0 2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.2.1 2.1.2.1.1 2.1.2.1.2 2.1.2.1.3 2.1.2.2 2.1.2.2.1 2.1.2.2.2 2.1.2.2.3 2.1.2.2.4 2.1.2.3 The Situation Model Participants Literature Survey Interpretation and Analysis: Six Configurations Three Roles, Three People Humorous Teasing Ridicule as Social Punishment Ridicule as Social Satire Three Roles, Two People Target Absent Audience = Target Humorist+Audience = Target Humorist = Target Three Roles, One Person

2.2 2.2.1 2.2.1.1 2.2.1.2 2.2.1.3 2.2.2 2.2.2.1 2.2.2.2 2.2.3 2.3 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7

Processing Yl: Incongruity Older Views: Incongruity and Configurational Theories Cognitive Incongruity Theory Semiogenetic Summary: Bilateral Bisociation Yl + Y2: The Cognition-Emotion Connection Older Views: "Relief Theories, Psychoanalytical Theory Recent Approaches: Collative Variables and Arousal Theory Semiogenetic View: Amusement and Ambivalence Social Group Sociological Approaches to Humor Humor as a Social Lubricant and/or Abrasive Agent Semiogenetic Contribution: Levels of Targeting Energy Congruence, Playback, Feedback, Reversibility Selection: The Play Frame Summary: Text-External Parameters of Humor

90 91 91 93 96 99 100 101 101 105 106 112 121 128 133 140 143 143 144 147 148 150 153 153 155 159 160 164 164 166 168 169 175 178

3 THE HUMOR TEXT.... 3.1 3.1.1 3.1.2 3.1.2.1 3.1.2.2 3.1.3 3.1.3.1 3.1.3.2 3.1.4 3.1.4.1 3.1.4.2 3.1.5 3.1.6 3.2 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 Analyses of the Joke Freudian Joke Typology Linguistic Approaches to Joke Analysis The Grammatical Approach Semantic Script Theory Semiotic Approaches to the Joke Paradigmatic Series, Syntagmatic Chains, and Chiasmus... Syntactic, Semantic, and Pragmatic Dimensions The Poetics of the Joke Trifocal Approach to the Joke as Poetry Trifocal Perspective The Biogenesis of Art and the Joke The Essence of the Joke as Humor Text Humor vs. the Joke Verbal Joke vs. Verbal Humor: Anecdotes and Wisecracks Verbal Joke vs. Visual Joke: Cartoons Visual Joke vs. Visual Humor: The Comic

4 EXCURSUS: SMILING AND LAUGHTER 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.4.1 4.4.2 4.5 Introduction: Problems of Polyfunctionality Smiles and Laughs: Physiology and Morphology Smiles and Laughs: Phylogenetic Universals Smiling and Laughter in Humor Situations Ontogenesis of the Smile Smile as Biological Tension-Release Mechanism Smile as Social Signal Ontogenesis of Laughter

182 182 183 185 190 191 191 199 201 204 205 206 209 210 215 219 221 222 223 225 226 228 229 232 236 236 238 240 241 244 246 246 249 250

5 THE ONTOGENESIS OF THE HUMOR SITUATION 5.1 5.1.1 5.1.2 5.1.3 5.1.4 5.1.5 5.2 5.2.1 5.2.1.1 5.2.1.2 5.2.1.3 5.2.2 5.2.2.1 5.2.2.2 5.2.3 5.2.3.1 5.2.3.2 5.2.3.3 5.2.3.4 5.2.4 5.3 5.3.1 5.3.2 5.3.3 The Play Frame and Targeted Interaction Primary Intersubjectivity: The Mother-Infant Dyad Playful Primary Intersubjectivity Secondary Intersubjectivity: Infant Laughter at 6 Months Game Formats and Play Frames: 6 to 12 Months Play as Triadic Targeted Interaction Incongruity and Bisociation Humorous Behavior Syntagmatic Twists Paradigmatic Twists Antisymmetrical Twists Incongruous Behavior towards Objects: Humorous Artifacts Playful Semiotic Projection Emotional Ambiguity: Noa vs. Taboo Incongruous Verbal Behavior: Humorous Texts Incongruous Labeling of Objects and Events Names and Noises The Gender Game Wholes and Parts The Big Bang of Bisociation: Polysemy Social Dynamics of the Humor Situation Basic Theoretical Problems Child-Adult Interaction: The Toddler as Humorist Early Child-Child Interaction: Infant Games

5.3.4 5.3.5 5.3.5.1 5.3.5.2 5.3.5.3 5.3.6 5.4 5.4.1 5.4.2 5.4.3 5.4.4 5.4.5

Humor and Young Friends Preschool Groups Rough and Tumble Play Group Glee Clowning Around Cruelty in Preschool Humor: The Problem of Targeting Text-Mediated Interaction: The Joke Facade Direct Targeted Behavior Substitution of Words for Actions The Facade of the Rhyme The Facade of the Narrative The Facade of the Frozen Form: Joking Riddles

254 257 260 262 264 267 272 274 275 277 279 280

6 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH... 285 NOTES Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX: EXAMPLES 289 289 289 304 318 323 326 345 366

Figures Fig. 1.0 Fig. 1.1 Fig. 1.2 Fig. 1.3 Fig. 1.4 Fig. 1.5 Fig. 1.6 Fig. 2.0 Fig. 2.1 Fig. 2.2 Fig. 2.3 Fig. 2.4 Fig. 2.5 Fig. 2.6 Fig. 2.7 Fig. 2.8 Fig. 2.9 Fig. 2.10 Fig. 2.11 Fig. 3.1 Fig. 3.2 Fig. 3.3 Fig. 3.4 Fig. 3.5 Fig. 3.6 Fig. 4.1 Fig. 4.2 Fig. 4.3 Fig. 4.4 Fig. 4.5 Fig. 4.6 Fig. 5.1 Fig. 5.2 Fig. 5.3 Fig. 5.4 Fig. 5.5 Fig. 5.6 Fig. 5.7 Fig. 5.8 Fig. 5.9 Fig. 5.10 Fig. 6 Early Conceptions of Humor Psychology and Humor Poetical Ambiguity Bisociative Incongruity Fundamental Types of Signs The Bisociated Sign Social Play, Humor, and Joke Situations Situation Model Pxe's Reactions to Derisive Jokes Structural and Dynamic Patterns of a Comical Situation Humor Situation: Six Configurations Processes of Humor Appreciation Social Functions of Humor. Structural Dynamics of Culture Four Levels of Targeting : Parameter Interdependences Humor Detonation Play Frame Matches/Mismatches Humor Situation Linguistic Strategies in Verbal Humor Paradigmatic and Syntagmatic Reversals Approaches to the Joke: A Comparison "Obit Anus, Abit Onus" The Marquis and the Bishop.. The Hippie Hitchhiker The Smile-Laugh Matrix Smiling, Laughter, and Humor. The Development of Smiling Smile: Excitation-Relaxation Cycle Elicited Smiles The Development of Laughter Epigenesis in Ontogenesis The Paradigmatic Twist The Humorous Artifact Humorous Behavior Motivation in Humorous Play Humorous Text The Polysemic Joke Direct Targeted Behavior Humor Text: Words Replace Actions The Joking Riddle The Semiogenesis of Humor and the Joke 6 8 20 28 32 34 40 60 69 71 74-5 94 108 113 120 123 124 138 142 148-9 154 162-3 171 173 176 189 190 192 193 193 202 208 225 231 233 234 239 245 275 277 282 288