Traditions and Transitions folk narrative in the contemporary world
16-20
July 2001 The University of Melbourne, Australia
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Traditions and Transitions folk narrative in the contemporary world |
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The energy of folk jokes lies in their social function
and as their functions multiply, they become more and more popular and deeply
rooted in the mass mind. Over several thousand years folk jokes have
demonstrated the functions of entertainment, irony and exhortation. As can be
seen from the following examples, folk jokes seem to have developed a life of
their own, deriving new functions by tapping into an underlying potential:
Medical: jokes can cure some stubborn diseases.
Keep-fit: jokes help realize people's longevity.
Child and social education: jokes can be employed for mode of thinking and
moral education.
Political: often add spice to political speeches.
Business Communications: jokes can be a kind of communicative tool in
commercial relations to build close ties between parties and lead to mutual
agreements.
Artistic: jokes are quoted, borrowed for plots and embedded in language
structure in the literary arts, i.e. comedy, ironic poetry, novel and
cross-talk.
Commercial: some enterprises sell jokes as goods for considerable profit.
Emotive: jokes can regulate emotions in interpersonal communication and at
ceremonies such as funerals.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | main abstract index | main congress page |
| N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |