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Article published In:
Issues in Humour Cognition
Edited by Marta Dynel
[Review of Cognitive Linguistics 16:1] 2018
► pp. 97–127
Special issue articles

Mental models, humorous texts and humour evaluation

| Fachhochschule Dortmund

This paper investigates how a mental-model theory of communication can explain differences in humorous texts and how aesthetic criteria to evaluate humour are dependent on the way mental models are exploited. Humour is defined as the deliberate manipulation by speakers of their private mental models of situations in order to create public mental models which contain one or more incongruities. Recipients can re-construct this manipulation process and thereby evaluate its nature and its quality. Humorous texts can be distinguished in terms of ownership of the manipulated mental model, the relationship between the speakers’ private and their public (humorous) mental model, as well as the speed required in the humorous mental model construction. Possible aesthetic criteria are the quality of the mental model manipulation, the pressure under which the humorously manipulated mental models have been constructed and the quality of the presentation of humorous mental models.

Keywords: aesthetic criterion, humour genre, mental model
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Mental-model theory
    • 2.1Humorous intent is a form of prior intent
    • 2.2Mental-model manipulation, humorous play and aesthetic criteria
    • 2.3Basic requirement: Paratelic meta-motivational state in the current situational context
  • 3.Humorous texts and their aesthetic evaluation
    • 3.1Humour independent of the current situational context
      • 3.1.1Using pre-constructed fantasy mental models
        • 3.1.1.1Canned jokes
          • Aesthetic criteria
        • 3.1.1.2Riddles
          • Aesthetic criteria
        • 3.1.1.3One-liners
          • Aesthetic criteria
        • 3.1.1.4Shaggy-dog stories
          • Aesthetic criteria
      • 3.1.2Using pre-constructed real-life mental models with apparently incongruous elements
        • 3.1.2.1Funny anecdotes
          • Aesthetic criteria
    • 3.2Humorous mental models constructed in the current situational context
      • 3.2.1Joint construction of humorous fiction
        • Aesthetic criteria
      • 3.2.2Manipulating lexemes and phrasemes
        • Aesthetic criteria
      • 3.2.3Witticisms
        • Aesthetic criteria
      • 3.2.4Irony
        • Aesthetic criteria
      • 3.2.5Retorts
        • Aesthetic criteria
      • 3.2.6Sarcasm
        • Aesthetic criteria
      • 3.2.7Teasing, banter, putdowns, self-denigrating humour
        • 3.2.7.1Teasing
          • Aesthetic criteria
        • 3.2.7.2Banter
          • Aesthetic criteria
        • 3.2.7.3Putdowns
          • Aesthetic criteria
        • 3.2.7.4Self-denigrating humour
          • Aesthetic criteria
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 31 May 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/rcl.00005.jon
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