Joking

This article investigates spontaneous humour-related phenomena in TV documentary, arguing that their presence helps to overcome the scripted nature of the genre. Focusing on the diegetic level of interaction between the presenter and other individuals present in the scene, the analysis traces how the interlocutors achieve mutual in-tune-ness that is necessary for setting up the play frame. It pays attention to several humour-related phenomena, including non-humorous laughter, joint joking and physical pranks. The findings indicate that while laughter can alleviate tension associated with face-threat or personal failure, other forms of humour emerge in the diegetic frame as part of the programme producers’ design to divert from the transactional mode of factual television to a more entertaining hybrid format based on a significant experiential component. As a result, TV viewers do not simply receive information but derive pleasure from the playful spontaneity performed for their benefit by the presenter and other interlocutors.

This article addresses both well-researched and relatively unexplored questions pertaining to humor and laughter. The following are some of the questions that are
considered here: What is humor? What is the role of laughter in humor? What are the ontogenetic and phylogenetic origins of laughter? How does humor work, cognitively? What is the functional significance of humor? What are the varieties of laughter and how are they perceived?What kinds of disorders of laughter
have been documented and what do they suggest about the neural circuitry underlying laughter and humor?

This research identifies the practice of carrilla, a socially recognizable kind of joking used among a group of second generation Mexican-Americans from East Los Angeles.  Using
DuBois’ (2007) concept of the stance triangle, this research finds that carrilla is sustained as subjects take up by divergent stance positions in relation to objects that are considered
to be of high sociocultural and intersubjective value.  Radcliffe-Brown’s (1940) idea of the joking relationship is used as a foundation for showing how joking can simultaneously appear
hostile and friendly, and for demonstrating the social role of joking in general.  In taking up divergent stance positions, actors engaged in echando carrilla (doing carrilla) can regulate
behaviors and ideas that are considered to be socioculturally important (such as gender, race, class and assimilation, among others) by invoking specific values within a shared epistemic
framework. Carrilla as it is practiced among the participants in this study is hypothesized to be adapted from similar interactional practices present in Northern Mexico.

Researches and writers like Jean-Claude Abbric (1978), Mariko Keletegui (1990), Jean-Godefroy Bidima (2003), and Adamou Barké (2006/2008), Georges Dorlian (2007) have discussed the issue of Tabbastaka or its aspects either as social representations, social structural identity, fictional identity, alliances and relatives’ identity, or jesting kinship as a social factor of integration.
Tabbastaka is the Hausa appropriate word which defines cousinage à plaisanterie or joking cousinhood. It has different spelling depending on languages and ethnical groups as mentioned by the Nigerienne Adamou Barké (2008):
Tabbastaka in Hausa; Bassetarey in Zarma-Songhaï; Dendiragu in Fulani;
Taboubza in Tamashek; Tchindi in Gourmantche; N’gui en Kanuri; Al’muzahatu
Bil’ukhuati in Arabe; values’system translated in French in terms of cousinhood
Joking or jesting kinship. It is a system of values which links in a network of bi-
Lateral relations local ethnical communities as crossed cousins… (284).
Tabbastaka by definition is the use of these bilateral relations in jokes. Joke as something said or done to amuse people and cause laugher, especially a funny story or amusing trick. The objectives in this paper is not to come back to what the above cited researchers have done but, to develop the impact of Tabbastaka on the West African communities in term of social cohesion especially, Gobirawa and Yoruba; Gobirawa and Katsinawa; Gobirawa and Daurawa; Gobirawa and Zamfarawa; Gobirawa and Kabawa; Gobirawa and Zarma/Songhaï; Fulani and Kanuri; Fulani and Arawa/Gubawa, just to limit myself to these binomial or mates. Through effective illustrations I will show how Tabbastaka influences these communities’ relations among them up to the point that they no longer fight each other for lands, pasture areas or wells and live hand in hand in harmony.
KEY WORDS: TABBASTAKA, JOKING COUSINHOOD OR JESTING KINSHIP, SOCIAL COHISION, WEST AFRICAN COMMUNITIES.

While most sociological and anthropological work carried out in regard to the Israel Defence Forces has focused on regulars, this article provides an inside look into Israel's combat reserves. The analysis is carried out through an examination of the place of humor and joking in the social and organizational life of two different infantry units: a high-grade unit deemed equivalent to the army's regulars and a unit of older troops who carry out less dangerous missions. We argue that reserve duty involves entering a special behavioural frame that is governed by rules different from those of everyday (civilian) life and that these are also special times that offer opportunities for exploring many of the problematic issues that the men face. Humor, in turn, provides fruitful entry points to an analysis of the taboo themes and the muted conflicts of such frameworks. Thus we show how various kinds of humor are related to core issue of socialization, cohesion, motivation, the danger of military work, and images of masculinity.

With a few remaining Yaminahua and Pacaguara, the Chacobo are currently the only Pano-speaking group of Bolivian Amazonia. Through ethnographic description the paper analyses practical, symbolic and discourse contexts such as hunting, drinking bouts, interethnic relationships, mythology, gender ideology, kinship and onomastics in order to track down several phenomena that make the Chacobo laugh. After discussing some possible ways of classification of Chacobo humour, the paper proposes a sociological interpretation of joking as a form of collective thought.

A partir de materiales etnográficos de campo, se describen diversas instancias de fenómenos que hacen reír a los chacobo (Pano) de la  Amazonía boliviana en contextos discursivos o prácticos como la caza, las fiestas, las relaciones interétnicas, las relaciones de parentesco, la onomástica o la mitología, y se propone una hipótesis sociológica de interpretación del humorismo chacobo.