Animal-Related Humor

Animal-related humor is abundant in every language culture. It is manifested in various types of text and discourse, most frequently in verbal jokes and riddles, but it also occurs in textual representations of folklore, such as tales, proverbs, genres of literature, in animated cartoons such as Disney films, and even in ordinary conversational discourse. This entry discusses animal jokes, with primary emphasis on the nature of their topical range and their textual representation, as well as factors influencing their comprehension. Finally, a sample animal joke will be given and analyzed for demonstration.

Animals are part of everyday life for many people. This is the primary reason for their abundance in our humor culture. We know much about the appearance and behavior of the types of domesticated ...