1. State the question about shaggy dog stories that I will answer
Question: Why do some find the punch line funnier than others?
2. use Gee's language tools/questions as a way to explore the Discourses, Conversations, Intertextuality, Social Languages- and particular language choices in the story you are analyzing.
Gee's tools/ questions:
1. What social language(s) are involved. What sorts of grammatical patterns indicate this?
2. What socially situated identities and activities do these social languages enact?
3. What Discourse(s) are involved? How is "stuff" other than language relevant in indicating socially situated identities and activities?
6. How does intertextuality work in this text. In what ways does the text quote, allude to, or otherwise borrow words from other oral or written sources What function does it serve in the text?
3. Specific examples of the language and other features to illustrate the points you are about the Discourses, Conversations, Intertextuality, etc. used in the story you are analyzing.
I will discuss my finding to Gee's questions here.
1. To understand the punch line and indicate it is of humor to you, you have to know the grammatical pattern of the text. You have to know how the text is laid out in order to wait for the punch line at the end. You have to know what terms will be in the punch line according to what words are used in the "joke"
2. You have to know certain stereotypes in order to make the punch line funny. For example, in the lawyer joke, you have to know w lawyers personality and the stereotype that all lawyers are liars. You have to have some level of previous knowledge of the subject in order to have the punch line be funny. For example in story #1, you have to have previous knowledge of pop culture, story telling (3 trials) and smokey the bear's famous line.
3. You have interpret the language as you know how to interpret it. If you cannot do that, you will not understand the material in the "joke" and you will not find the punch line funny. The storyteller may find the joke funny, but if the listener may not understand the concepts in the "joke" therefore not finding the punch line funny. There has to be some basic foundation of knowledge that has to be met before understanding the joke. Some cultures may use various symbols that may not be recognized by others therefore not making the punch line funny. Another example of Discourse is if you are telling a math joke, for example this one, if the listener is not accustomed to math terminology, they will not find the joke funny. I am a geek when it comes to mathematics, and I found this joke hilarious where as other people I know do not have a background in mathematics do not find this joke as funny.
6. To understand the punch line, you have to know the different terms used in the text. As I stated before, understanding the terms and concepts used in the shaggy dog stores will give the listener more in site if they feel the joke is funny or not. If the listener does not understand the terms and concepts, they will not find it funny.
4. Discussion of any patterns you see
Examples from the Shaggy Dog Stories that we read in class.
#1- Friar- you have to have knowledge of smokey the bear and story telling in order to find the punch line funny.
#3- Frayed knot- you have to have realize that the string is going to be in the punch line of the story.
#5- lawyer- You have to know lawyer stereotypes- rich and liars- in order to find the punch line humorous.
5. A discussion that states what your analysis about shaggy dog stories (how your analysis answers the question you asked)
Theory: I believe that shaggy dog stories are only as funny as what you know about the content. If you don't know or are unfamiliar with the context in the story, you will not find the story funny. The punch line is based off of the listener already having previous knowledge of the text and understanding what the terms in the story are.
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