Startseite The relationship between English proficiency and humour appreciation among English L1 users and Chinese L2 users of English
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The relationship between English proficiency and humour appreciation among English L1 users and Chinese L2 users of English

  • Xuemei Chen EMAIL logo und Jean-Marc Dewaele
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 13. April 2018
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Abstract

Humour appreciation involves split second detection and resolution of cultural and pragmatic incongruities. Second language (L2) users may need more time and effort to understand and appreciate L2 humour. Previous studies have mostly used decontextualized verbal jokes and reported a linear relationship between L2 proficiency and humour appreciation. The present study strives for more ecological validity by using audiovisual-based, multimodal humorous stimuli. A total of 272 Chinese L2 users of English and 94 English L1 users rated the funniness and the ease of understanding of two short video extracts and then completed an English vocabulary size test, LexTALE. The findings suggest that L2 users need to reach a certain threshold in L2 linguistic, pragmatic and sociocultural knowledge before a positive linear relationship emerges between proficiency and appreciation of multimodal humorous stimuli. Also, advanced L2 users demonstrated similarities with English L1 users in humour processing.

Funding statement: This article is funded by the China Scholarship Council (10.13039/481100004543), Grant Number: 201406290174.

Appendix

Yes, Prime Minister: “The Tangled Web”
Transcription
James Hacker: JH; Sir Humphrey Appleby: HA
JH:

Well, obviously. It was the one question today to which I could give a clear, simple, straightforward, honest answer.

HA:

Yes. Unfortunately, although the answer was indeed clear, simple and straightforward, there is some difficulty in justifiably assigning to it the fourth of the epithets you applied to the statement inasmuch as the precise correlation between the information you communicated and the facts insofar as they can be determined and demonstrated is such as to cause epistemological problems of sufficient magnitude as to lay upon the logical and semantic resources of the English language a heavier burden than they can reasonably be expected to bear.

JH:

Epistemological? What are you talking about?

HA:

You told a lie.

JH:

A lie?

HA:

A lie.

JH:

What do you mean, a lie?

HA:

I mean you … lied. Yes, I know this is a difficult concept to get across to a politician. You … ah yes, you did not tell the truth.

Outnumbered Keeping Up with The Joneses
Transcription
Barbara:

Hi Sue.

Sue:

Hi Barbara.

Barbara’s kid #1: Morning Sue.
Barbara’s kid #2: Morning Sue.
Barbara’s kid #3: Hi Sue.
Sue:

Hi kids.

Jake:

Shut it you little prick. Shut up you bloody idiot.

Sue:

Boys!

Ben:

I am gonna kill you.

Ben:

Just because you’re bigger than me …

Barbara:

Lucy, get that box by the door. It’s just one of the two things that came over the fence.

Sue:

Oh just, boys, please, just chuck them back over.

Barbara:

But the teapot might break.

Sue:

huh … get in the car!

Sue:

Thanks. Obviously, we’ll do the same thing for you, should your children throw anything in our garden, ever.

Sue:

(to boys) Can you get in the bloody car please?

Barbara:

They do get excitable, do they? Mine are just the same.

Sue:

(to herself) I think not.

Pete (Sue’s husband): how did she do that? Is it witch craft? Ben!!! I told you never touch the ignition.
Ben (Sue’s kid #2): I was only trying to help.

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Published Online: 2018-04-13
Published in Print: 2019-11-26

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