Exploring COVID-19 Arabic Humorous Comments in Social Media: Linguistic Analysis of Facebook Comments Using the General Theory of Verbal Humor

Abstract

This paper investigates the Arabic verbal humorous comments pertaining to COVID-19 on social media. The main objectives of the paper are to identify the distinct categories that are highlighted in those comments disseminated between March and September 2020, on the AlMamlaka and Roya Jordanian Facebook accounts. Additionally, the study examines the claim of Attardo and Raskins's (1991) that the "target" is an optional Knowledge Resource in the General Theory of Verbal Humor. The research design employed in this study is descriptive qualitative. The researchers conducted a thematic analysis to analyze 15 comments, applying the General Theory of Verbal Humor of Attardo and Raskin (1991). The analysis revealed eight emerging categories: governmental, gender, COVID-19, lockdown, behavior, conspiracy, geographical, and facemask jokes. The study found that humorous comments conform to the six Knowledge Resources of the General Theory of Verbal Humor. The most prominent logical mechanism used in the comments was irony and sarcasm, enabling Jordanians to shed light on hidden issues to express their reactions and feelings. The study also found that identifying the target in a humorous comment is crucial in determining the various categories of humorous comments. The research opens avenues for further exploration into the utilization and interpretation of humor in diverse cultural settings, during other natural disasters, and its impact on understanding humorous content.