The Mirth of NationsChristie Davies Routledge, 28.07.2017 - 263 Seiten The Mirth of Nations is a social and historical study of jokes told in the principal English-speaking countries. It is based on use of archives and other primary sources, including old and rare joke books. Davies makes detailed comparisons between the humor of specific pairs of nations and ethnic and regional groups. In this way, he achieves an appreciation of the unique characteristics of the humor of each nation or group.A tightly argued book, The Mirth of Nations uses the comparative method to undermine existing theories of humor, which are rooted in notions of hostility, conflict, and superiority, and derive ultimately from Hobbes and Freud. Instead Davies argues that humor merely plays with aggression and with rule-breaking, and that the form this play takes is determined by social structures and intellectual traditions. It is not related to actual conflicts between groups. In particular, Davies convincingly argues that Jewish humor and jokes are neither uniquely nor overwhelmingly self-mocking as many writers since Freud have suggested. Rather Jewish jokes, like Scottish humor and jokes are the product of a strong cultural tradition of analytical thinking and intelligent self-awareness.The volume shows that the forty-year popularity of the Polish joke cycle in America was not a product of any special negative feeling towards Poles. Jokes are not serious and are not a form of determined aggression against others or against one's own group. The Mirth of Nations is readable as well as revisionist. It is written with great clarity and puts forward difficult and complex arguments without jargon in an accessible manner. Its rich use of examples of all kinds of humor entertains the reader, who will enjoy a great variety of jokes while being enlightened by the author's careful explanations of why particular sets of jokes exist and are immensely popular. The book will appeal to general readers as well as those in cultural stu |
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Seite 1884
... tradition and the Scots of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are the closest case. At that time ... traditions. They were the precursors of the many excellent selections of and commentaries on Jewish jokes and humor ...
... tradition and the Scots of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are the closest case. At that time ... traditions. They were the precursors of the many excellent selections of and commentaries on Jewish jokes and humor ...
Seite 1886
... , which is quite unlike that of the rest of North America ( Storey , Kirwin , Widdowson 1990 ) , and have long had a well - established local tradition of self-mocking stupidity joking all their own, which deserves a chapter.
... , which is quite unlike that of the rest of North America ( Storey , Kirwin , Widdowson 1990 ) , and have long had a well - established local tradition of self-mocking stupidity joking all their own, which deserves a chapter.
Seite 1887
... tradition of wit, humor and joking has led to the collection and recording of those traditional jokes and anecdotes, complete with the joke tellers' comments on their own jokes, in the Memorial University of Newfoundland's Folklore ...
... tradition of wit, humor and joking has led to the collection and recording of those traditional jokes and anecdotes, complete with the joke tellers' comments on their own jokes, in the Memorial University of Newfoundland's Folklore ...
Seite 1889
... traditions on the other. What must be avoided is illicit movements between levels of explanation such that the existence of a particular pattern of jokes is explained in terms of the motives, intentions, feelings, anxieties or attitudes ...
... traditions on the other. What must be avoided is illicit movements between levels of explanation such that the existence of a particular pattern of jokes is explained in terms of the motives, intentions, feelings, anxieties or attitudes ...
Seite 1896
... traditions have enabled them to succeed in the market place or the examination hall, notably the Jews and the Scots, are the butt of jokes about their being canny. It is not entirely surprising that they should also often prove to be ...
... traditions have enabled them to succeed in the market place or the examination hall, notably the Jews and the Scots, are the butt of jokes about their being canny. It is not entirely surprising that they should also often prove to be ...
Inhalt
1880 | |
1883 | |
1903 | |
The Balanced Jewish Sense of Humor | 1946 |
Jokes about Jewish Women and Australian | 1980 |
Neighborly Bilingual North American | |
Jokes about Newfies and Jokes Told by Newfoundlanders | |
American Jokes about Poles | |
Polish Jokes and Polish Conflicts | |
Conclusion | |
General Bibliography | |
Index | |
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Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
African Americans American jokes anecdotes anti-Semitism asked Australian English Australian jokes Barry Humphries Barry McKenzie Blason Populaire British Canada Canadian Canadian jokes canny chundering Church Collected comic conflict contrast culture Davies distinctive drink English ethnic groups ethnic jokes ethnic stupidity jokes explain folklore Folklore Archive gentiles German hostility Humor Research Humphries identity individuals invented Irish Italians Japanese Jewish American Jewish humor Jewish jokes Jewish women Jews joke books joke cycle joke tellers jokes about dirty jokes about Jewish jokes about Poles jokes about stupidity jokes and humor jokes told Journal of Humor kind Kohen laugh London mock modern Newfie jokes Newfoundland particular patterns of jokes playing with aggression Polack Poland Polish Americans Polish jokes political popular Presbyterian rabbi Sabbatarian Sabbath says Scotland Scots Scottish jokes script self-mockery self-mocking sense serious sets of jokes social society story stupidity jokes tradition University Upper Island Cove York