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- Title
A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Gender in Persian Verbal Humor: The Case of Online Jokes.
- Authors
Heidari-Shahreza, Mohammad Ali
- Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the role of gender in Persian verbal humor. To do so, based on an Iranian mobile app, 354 trending jokes ('liked' by at least 50,000 users) were selected and scrutinized to discern how male and female Persian speakers were employed in creating humor. In the light of General Theory of Verbal Humor, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data revealed that a statistically significant proportion of the online jokes were gender-biased. Furthermore, female Persian speakers were by far the main target of humor in these jokes. Further inspection also indicated that 'marriage', 'reasoning ability and intelligence', 'beauty and make-up', 'general knowledge and skill' in the female-focused humor and, '(feminine) beauty', 'heterosexual orientation', and 'social position' in the male-focused humor were the major themes of ridicule. The findings suggest that Persian verbal humor serves as a true reflection of the Iranian society, mirroring post-revolutionary as well as recent socio-cultural developments. Moreover, gender roles in Persian verbal humor (and perhaps the society), are in a transitory shifting phase to the effect that traditionally masculine hegemonic concepts are giving way, albeit gradually, to emerging patterns which are more in favor of female Persian speakers.
- Subjects
PERSIAN wit &; humor; GENDER role; ONLINE comments; ORATORS; GENDER differences (Psychology)
- Publication
Gender Issues, 2019, Vol 36, Issue 1, p46
- ISSN
1098-092X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s12147-017-9206-9