The Cross-Cultural Dynamics of Humor and the Benign Violation Theory: An Application to Travel Literature

Rosalind Buckton-Tucker

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Cultural differences as depicted in literature are perhaps nowhere more evident than in the expression of humor. Although a universal human emotion, humor is usually grounded in its cultural context, so that the antecedents of humor in one culture do not necessarily translate to another. Humor is a prominent element in travel literature, whether in situations where the protagonists are coping with hardship or where they are trying to make sense out of confusing or embarrassing circumstances. There is an extensive body of research on cross-cultural humor that aims to analyze the manner in which it is created. This paper will focus in particular on the Benign Violation theory, according to which a humor stimulus, to be funny, cannot be too banal or mild (benign) nor conversely be overly offensive or shocking (violation). These constructs enable us to examine systematically the dynamics of humor in the context of travel literature, in which the cultural identity of the traveler versus the Other can often create or alternatively thwart humor through social violations.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationWorld Englishes, Global Classrooms
Subtitle of host publicationThe Future of English Literary and Linguistic Studies
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages275-289
Number of pages15
ISBN (Electronic)9789811940330
ISBN (Print)9789811940323
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2022

Keywords

  • Benign violation theories
  • Cultural differences
  • Humor
  • Incongruity
  • Otherness
  • Relief
  • Superiority
  • Travel literature

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