V.A.R.I.E.S. - Language and Humor Variation

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V.A.R.I.E.S.Language and Humor Variation

by Don and Alleen Nilsen

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BASIC ASSUMPTIONS• There are various ways of saying basically the same

thing, but the words we use tell stories about who we are.

• Humorous language takes advantage of our differences. It’s often these very differences that make a joke funny.

• Linguists use the S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. or the V.A.R.I.E.S. models of language and humor variation to describe the important differences that are exhibited amongst speakers in our society.

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S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. MODELby John Gumpers and Dell Hymes

• S-Setting

• P-Participants

• E-Ends

• A-Act Sequence

• K-Key Tone or Mood

• I-Instrumentalities (writing vs. speech)

• N-Norms (expectations of the situation)

• G-Genre (e-mail, chant, research paper)

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V.A.R.I.E.S. MODELby Don and Alleen Nilsen

• V-VOCATIONAL JARGON AND HUMOR– Computer Guys, Doctors, Lawyers, Linguists, Teachers

• A-AGE-RELATED LANGUAGE AND HUMOR– Children, Teenagers, Old People

• R-REGIONAL LANGUAGE AND HUMOR– California, Canada, New York, South

• I-INFORMAL OR FORMAL LANGUAGE AND HUMOR– Casual Acquaintances, Lovers, Friends, Relatives

• E-ETHNIC LANGUAGE AND HUMOR– Blacks, Indians, Jews, Mexicans

• S-SEX-RELATED LANGUAGE AND HUMOR– Males, Females, Lesbians, Gays

Vocational Humor: Anthropologist Humor

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Business Humor

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Computer Humor

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Medical Humor

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Lawyer Humor

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Linguistic Humor

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Literary Scholar Humor

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Mathematician Humor

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Psychologist Humor

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Sociologist Humor

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Teacher Humor

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Age-Related Humor: Baby Humor

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Children’s Humor

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Teenager Humor

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Old Person Humor

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Really Old Person Humor

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Regional Humor

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American Dialect Society

American Dialect Society:http://americandialect.org/

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Australian Humor

Lost Baggage:http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+australia+lost+baggage&view=detail&mid=C9207D3C358B5828C7D8C9207D3C358B5828C7D8&FORM=VIRE

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British Humor

Accents and Archetypes of Great Britain:http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+british+dialects&view=detail&mid=2DDBFA52A6AC272F4D9D2DDBFA52A6AC272F4D9D&FORM=VIRE

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New England Humor

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Southern Humor

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Surfer Dude Humor (California)

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Valley Girl Humor (California)

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Western Humor

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Canadian Humor

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Informal or Formal Humor: Intimate

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Casual

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Formal

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FrozenIn The Five Clocks, Martin Joos distinguished between five forms of communication:

Intimate

Casual

Consultative

Formal and

Frozen

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Ethnic Humor

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Hispanic HumorDia de Los Muertos

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Asian Humor

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Black Humor

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Jewish Humor

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Mormon Humor

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Sex-Related Humor: Men’s Humor

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Women’s Humor

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Gay Humor

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Lesbian Humor

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Transvestite Humor

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Now it’s your turn. Tell us some jokes that relate to the V.A.R.I.E.S. Model

• V-VOCATIONAL JARGON– Computer Guys, Doctors, Lawyers, Linguists, Teachers

• A-AGE-RELATED LANGUAGE– Children, Teenagers, Old People

• R-REGIONAL LANGUAGE– California, Canada, New York, South

• I-INFORMAL OR FORMAL LANGUAGE– Casual Acquaintances, Lovers, Friends, Relatives

• E-ETHNIC LANGUAGE– Blacks, Indians, Jews, Mexicans

• S-SEX-RELATED LANGUAGE– Males, Females, Lesbians, Gays

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