Definition of humor and non-verbal humor

According to the Cambridge Dictionary the definition of humor is ‘’the ability to be amused by
something seen, heard, or thought about, sometimes causing you to smile or laugh, or the quality in
something that causes such amusement’’. Humor is also a ‘hardwired’ characteristic of the human
species (Darwin, 1872). It belongs to a form that tends to be so absurd to a degree contained the sense
of ridiculous. By this way, people can enjoy the feeling of amusement or happiness. It is an English term
which is derived from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, named as humorous- the fluid
balance in the human body which played a crucial role in manipulating either feeling or temper of
human being. Several reactions of people from all age towards humor such as: be amused, smile or
laugh can be seen as a sense of humor otherwise those who have lots of discrepancies compared to the
former one may be proclaimed that somehow find it bizarre, unusual or illogical. On the theory, It
depends on human’s taste while on the reality, taking all of the other aspects including geographical
location, culture, maturity, level of education, intelligence and context into account. Playing a center
role in people’s lives, it does contribute as much into idea communication, emotions and notions. Its
function can also be utilized in order to diffuse tension or alleviate stress.

Humor possess a huge variety in classification. There are two typical forms of humor which are
presented as verbal humor and non-verbal humor. Each type has its unique and specific factor that
possess the capacity to amuse audiences in its own way. Non-verbal humor is a kind of humor that does
not require any use of languages but utilizing the background of music, diverse types of dialects, rich
body language for the first sake of hilarious results 1. Among all of that, slapstick is a particular type
belongs to non-verbal humor or to be more specific, it can be defined as a type of physical comedy
represented for humor in general, something tends to be absurd and energetic which mostly covered by
the sense of violence. A physical activity’s type full of exaggeration that beyond the boundaries of
physical comedy in common. Slapstick may include in both conducting violence in purpose and causing
violence by accident and mostly end up using props in an irrational way especially making use of saws
and ladders. Being raised from a gadget device with the aim for using broadly, the term was known as
‘’commedia dell'arte’’ in 16th-century Italy. Due to little force in demanding so as to generate deafening
and witty sound, the rough and tumble of slapstick has become a classic part of low comedy and farce
since ancient period. Charlie Chaplin’s silent film is a particular example, its amusement is manifested
through plentiful forms of body languages and the audience are attracted by the wonderful details.

References

1
Yuting, T., & Jingjing, W. (2022). An Analysis of Humor in the Dialogues of Good Luck Charlie from the
Perspective of the Cooperative Principle, 4(5), 792-793.

http://www.sjemr.org/download/SJEMR-4-5-791-801.pdf
[1] Yuting, T., & Jingjing, W. (2022). An Analysis of Humor in the Dialogues of Good Luck Charlie from the
Perspective of the Cooperative Principle, 4(5), 792-793.

http://www.sjemr.org/download/SJEMR-4-5-791-801.pdf

[2] Author, M. (2023) Humor: Why it’s important and how to employ it?, Mantra Care.
Available at: https://mantracare.org/therapy/what-is/humor/ (Accessed: 08 October 2023).

[3] Wikipedia contributors. (2023). Slapstick. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slapstick

[4] Wikipedia contributors. (2023a). Humor. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humour