ABSTRACT
Jokes are, as I suggested in the previous chapter, commonly defi ned as humorous stories with punch lines that are meant to generate laughter. They are one of the most common ways that people communicate their sense of humor to others-and amuse, or attempt to amuse, others. We must remember that jokes are seldom, if ever, made up by the person telling the jokes; they are almost always being “retold” and sometimes the teller isn’t particularly good at telling jokes. Sometimes the jokes aren’t very good (that is, very funny), either. There is also the matter of being told a joke one has heard before and having to “fake” a laugh. Once you’ve heard a joke, it isn’t funny any more.
