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Deaf & Sign Language Humor - Coggle Diagram
Deaf & Sign Language Humor
ASL Storytelling & Literature
Chelsee Patterson
April 24, 2020
Chapter 18
For What?
Pleasure, Fun, Laughter, Bonding, Socially & Intellectually Satisfying, Relaxing, Making Light of Difficult Situations, Social Control
Conceptual Humor Draws on Idea
In-Group
(
Us
)
&
Out-Group
Hal Draper: '
... in some ways show humor / laughter; other(s) little bit of therapy... found their identity.
'
Support
In-Group
by Insulting
Out-Group
Impact Comes From Linguistics;
IF
Portrayed Another Way; Humor is Lost
Play with Form & Meaning
Look for Dual Meanings / Produce Unexpected Meaning in Other Languages
International Humor
Jokes Spread Rapidly
Dated & Naturalized for Each Country
Origins of Jokes are Hard to Determine
Lost Cochlear Implant
(Joke)
International Deaf Joke(s)
(EX: '
Deaf Lion
')
Many Version(s) / Many Embellishment(s) / Essential Plot Same
What Creates The Laughter?
Driven by the Dominant Visual Experience
Touch / Smell (
can be
) Part of Amusment
Visual Media Makes Deaf & Hearing People Laugh Together
Non-Linguistic Humor: Slapstick, Party-Games, Cartoon Drawings
Conceptual Jokes Often Draw on Cultural References
Deaf Joke Reference
(
s
): Disliking Speech, Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants, Distrusting Interpreters.
Reference Logistics
: Members Value Differently From Hearing People
2 Sub-Categories:
Conceptual Humor
= Content;
Linguistic Humor
= Form
Taboo
Not All Humor Friendly, Polite (
or
) Kind
Consisting Of
: Dirty Jokes (
Sexual / Toilet Material
), Racist, Sexist, Homophobic, Mocking Disabled
Deaf Differentiation
: Schools, Languages, Experiences, Attitudes, Living in the Hearing World
Jokes are of
Stereotypes
not of
Individuals
Deliveries & Structure
Internal Sign Structure:
Revitalizing Dormant Aspect of Parameters
Attention to Aspects of Signs
Hidden in Plain View
by Changing Handshape, Location, Orientation to Create New Meaning(s)
Make the Unexpected Seem Obvious
'I' Handshape = Playfully Insulting Signs to Undervalue Something
Small
Under (
or
) Over Confident Person --> Brought to Reality --> Signer's (Non)Dominant Hand Push (
or
) Pull Other Hand Up (
or
) Down to Correct Location
May Appear Arbitrary
but can
be Given New Visually-Motivated Meaning (EX: Motivation by Metaphor)
Can Become Animated 2H & Have Their Own Will; Allowing Sign(s) to Behave & Converse
Metalinguistic(s) (Play on Signs)
:
Formulation of Sign(s) Awareness
Blurring Distinction(s) Between Hands as Articulators
2 Aspect Distinctions:
Representational
= Sign(s) Representing Something (
Sun, Car
)
Formational
= Sign(s) Physically Made (
Human Hands
)
Poets Remind Obvious Facts -->
signer's do have control over what they are signing, this realization = humor
Exaggerated Facial Expression(s) / Caricature:
Caricature (
Likely Targets
) Unpopular in Deaf Communities (
Doctors, Teachers, Social Workers, Unsympathetic to Deaf Culture
)
Gestures Working Together Creating Visual Humor
Witty Use of Classifier(s)
Exaggerated Facial Expression(s) / Body Movement
Signer's Over-Emphasises Someone's Visual Feature(s) / Mimics Behavior
Manipulation Speed / Size:
Humorous Signs Have Larger & Stronger Movement(s)
Held For Longer Periods
Slow Motion Signing
Exaggerated Movement(s)
Richard Carter
The Race
Anthropomorphism
Facial Expression(s) Showing Behavior(s) / Reaction(s) of Non-Human Object(s)
Change Handshape, Location, Movement to Accommodate Form of Non-Human(s)
Richard Carter Examples: Owl
Wings
, Fish
Fins
, Reindeer
Antlers
Bilingual Humor
Draws on Spoken Languages
Fingerspelling (
For Signers
) Challenges Power of Spoken Language Over Sign
Manual Alphabet Source of Bilingual Humor
Physical Games (
ex: Paul Scott: Acronym
)
Bilingual Riddles (
ex: WHO = Handshape on Nose, WHERE = Location under waist, non-dominant hand
)
Forms Letters ---> Reanalyzed CL Handshapes (
ex: drill = L drill-bit movement, Honeymoon = N 2 people in bed
)
Bilingual Puns Using Loan Translation: (
ex: ALL MY TEA GOD = ALMIGHTY GOD, BEE WRITE BACK = BE RIGHT BACK)
Funny in Sign; Not in Spoken
Linguistic Humor Only Makes Sense in Visual Modality;
can be
Lost in Translation
Example: Famous
King Kong "Oops; Sorry"
Joke
Content is Culturally Specific
Based on Experience(s)
Visually / Gesturally Amusing;
can
Exploit Change / Form Signs for Sophisticated Puns
Revitalize & Revise Motivation Behind Sign(s)