Definition of joke
All of us are fond of listening to jokes and consider it a great form of entertainment. Some of the most amusing forms of jokes include blonde jokes, fishing jokes, golf jokes, Q/A jokes, etc.
What Is A Joke?
A joke is a brief story, observation, or thought that has a definite narrative structure and a punchline and triggers the physiological response in a person – laughter. It is intended to make people happy and laugh.
In most cases, the funniness culminates at the end and it finishes after the listeners feel entertained.
A Brief Look At The History
The earliest surviving jokes date back to 1900 BC. However, if we study basic human nature, we come to know that jokes must be as old as the human himself.
The oldest identified joke is an ancient Sumerian proverb from 1900 BC containing toilet humor.
The earliest joke book is Philogelos, written in the fourth century AD in the Greek language by Hierocles and Philagros.
More data was gathered in the 15th century after the printing revolution. One example is the publishing of a joke book in 1470 written by Italian Poet Poggio Bracciolini.
The first humor magazine is The New Yorker that was published in 1925 for the first time.
Who Writes Jokes?
Comedians are the people who write jokes or perform them. They amuse the audience by giving curious, comical, whimsical, laughable, odd, droll, humorous, witty, and eccentric performances on the stage.
They watch everything from the aspect of humor and convert it into jokes. Some of the examples include fishing jokes, Blonde jokes, Q/A jokes, golf jokes, etc.
It would be right to say that comedians cover various aspects of life and the humerus form.
Examples Of Comedians
Charlie Chaplin and Mr. Bean are considered the most famous and world-renowned comedians while Steve Martin and Judd Apatow have also made it to the top of the comedy world.
The list of comedy performers and comedians is never-ending.
However, it is worth mentioning that jokes are often not only for amusement but sometimes they serve greater purposes. This is something that can be observed in the performances and books of legendary comedians.
What Are The Characteristics Of A Good Joke?
A good joke seems like a combination of storytelling and social commentary. In other words, it not only entertains but also broadens the vision and lets the people think about the world from a different perspective.
There are various forms of jokes (such as blonde jokes, Q/A jokes, fishing jokes, etc) and a great joke must be surpassing the expectations.
A good joke is something that no one should be able to predict before listening to it. In other words, the element of surprise is the most important in jokes.
See the following examples of fishing jokes.
- Why is it so easy to weigh fish?
Because they have their own scales! - Mother to daughter advice: Cook a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
But teach a man to fish and you get rid of him for the whole weekend.
What Are The Types Of Jokes?
Although all the jokes revolve around the basic setup of punchline and overall amusement, they are classified into various types.
Here are the most popular types of jokes.
Observational: These jokes cover the most trivial events of life and are often related to daily observations and experiences. For example, Blonde Jokes relate to the blonde people.
Anecdotal: They reveal the personal life experiences of the comedian.
Situational: They describe the funny moments of an event, place, or set of characters.
One-liners: These are the brief and concise forms of jokes that convert the punchline into the succinct form.
Character: Some comedians stay particular during the show or performance. Such hilarious and amusing performances are part of character jokes.
Ironic: These are the jokes that convey the meaning opposite to what is said. They are usually in the form of witty statements.
For example, look at the following Q/A Jokes.
- How is ‘Communism’ one of the most ironic terms? It is capitalized.
- What can be the most ironic name for a chubby person? Jim.
Farcical: These jokes involve the creation of humor using exaggerated stories.
Self-deprecating: These are the jokes in which comedians make fun of the other people they know.
For example,
“I went to the psychiatrist, and he said ‘You’re crazy.’ I tell him I want a second opinion. He says, ‘Okay, you’re ugly too!’”
Slapstick: It is a physical form of comedy in which the comedian often gets slapped or hit by something in a humorous manner.
We hope you have enjoyed this guide on hilarious jokes!
