Playing with Words - Humour in the English Language - Barry Blake
Wit
Playing with Words - Humour in the English Language - Barry Blake
Barry Blake [+]
La Trobe University (retired)
Barry Blake retired from the position of Foundation Professor of Linguistics at La Trobe University, Melbourne, in 2003. He is the co-author of Language Typology (1981) and author of Australian Aboriginal Grammar (1987), Relational Grammar (1990), Case (1994, 2001) and several books on various Australian languages. Most of his past research has been in comparative and historical linguistics, but he is currently researching the functions of language that lie beyond the direct exchange of information, in particular humour and oblique, obscure and secret language.
Description
The terms ‘humour’ and ‘wit’ overlap. We can make a distinction, though the difference is certainly not clear-cut. Wit is cleverness with words, usually humorous, but not always. The author is demonstrating his or her verbal prowess. We are meant to admire the ingenuity, perhaps we will smile, perhaps even laugh, but if we do, that is a bonus. Since the term ‘wit’ is generally reserved for the clever end of the humour spectrum.