Humoral Elements Research Articles

Valuing freedom of expression at the expense of linguistic aspect: The analysis of Kaur's selected poems

As a well-known poet, Rupi Kaur has written several poems which attract worldwide accolades. The present study explores several important aspects of her selected poems, such as feminism, humor, and irony. It was conducted qualitatively. In this case, the researchers acted to analyze and collected the data consecutively. The findings indicated that the concepts of feminism described in her poems tend to be more liberal and radical. The use of crude language to depict women as "male objects" plainly supports this notion. Furthermore, Kaur employs filthy language to prick the reader's conscience and make them aware of the societal critique offered in her poems. The element of Humor identified in the poems is used to portray the injustice of societal rules that restrict women. Despite showing poor grammatical aspects, such as the use of proper subject, the poem strives to vividly criticize the role of women, which is commonly valued solely on their physical looks, dismissing their worth and complexity as humans.

Transferring the Humour Load in Asterix Conquers America into Sinhala

Humour in animated films presents numerous challenges when they are dubbed into another language. The aim of the study is to examine how humorous elements are rendered from one language to another, in dubbed animated films. The animated film Asterix conquers America (1994) and its Sinhala dubbed version are chosen for the present study. The taxonomy proposed by Martínez-Sierra which includes eight elements, is applied to determine the humour load of the examples. Twenty-five humorous instants are selected from the film to be analysed qualitatively. In these examples, the study examines if all the identified humour elements are transferred either completely or partially or the humour elements are eliminated in the Sinhala dubbed version. The results show that a loss of humour is noted mainly because the linguistic element is not reproduced in the target language. Along with the loss of the linguistic element, other elements too can be lost. Though a loss of humour is detected in certain examples, it is compensated in certain others. As a strategy, domestication approach is preferred at times, by the translators to substitute humour elements. Their efforts to recreate humour that can be understood and appreciated by the target audience are highlighted and discussed.

Unveiling Namibia's Digital Humour

This article explored the humorous and stylistic elements of memes in Namibian online discourse. In the digital age, memes have become an integral part of online communication, offering valuable insights into contemporary language use. Today, memes are widely recognised as short videos or images accompanied by humorous texts, rapidly shared on social media. The incongruity theory of humour helps elucidate the humorous and language elements within memes. The study aimed at analysing selected memes within the Namibian socio-cultural context, shedding light on how language is used to create humorous effects and identifying stylistic qualities. The study employed a desktop methodology, analysing image macros from the Namibian socio-cultural context. 8 memes were sampled from an online platform called Namibian memes01 populated by 139 thousand followers at the time of sampling these memes. The study revealed that memes serve as a form of communication, conveying emotions, thoughts, ideas, and reflecting cultural values. They contribute to language development and have the potential to shape social interactions and shared beliefs. Humour plays a significant role in memes, fostering a sense of community, defusing tension, and promoting positive interactions. The findings highlight the importance of pragmatics and context in interpreting the intended meanings of memes.

When Saudis Stop Being Humorous: The Subtitling and Reception of Saudi Dark Humour in Masameer County

This study is designed to examine the effect that Netflix English subtitles might have on the way English-speaking viewers receive Saudi dark humour. To achieve this, the researchers analyse Netflix’s English subtitling of two episodes of the Saudi adult animation Masameer County, which is known for its humorous discussion of sensitive issues in Saudi society. This study hypothesises that, partly due to sociocultural considerations, the humorous elements found in the Saudi animation is more appreciated and understood by Saudis than English speakers. It is also hypothesised that the inaccurate translation of specific humorous elements by the non-Saudi subtitler further aggravates the difficulty English-speaking audiences understanding the animation’s dark humour. To assess these hypotheses, the active role of the subtitler is considered. This is achieved by employing the sociological lens of habitus developed by sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. To understand the subtitler’s habitus, the subtitler was interviewed to reveal the personal/social factors that affected her translation’s decisions regarding specific humorous scenes. The outcome of these decisions is assessed by examining their reception by English-speaking viewers. A questionnaire was conducted with English-speaking viewers asked to watch the two episodes of Masameer County under examination. The questionnaire shows that the English-speaking viewers did not receive the Saudi humour with all its sociocultural associations. The findings reveal that the subtitler’s habitus exerted powerful effects on her translational choices, which led to a loss of the Saudi humorous sense in the English-speaking viewers.

A Comparative Analysis of Pakistani and Indian Social Media Memes: Cultural Narratives and Social Understandings

This study investigates the sociological impact and linguistic characteristics of Pakistani and Indian memes, focusing on their occurrence on social media sites, and explores how these digital expressions influence cultural stories and public opinions. Employing content analysis, a diverse collection of memes were analyzed to identify themes, linguistic elements, and cultural references attached to the memes under study. Besides, the study seeks to uncover the distinctions between memes in Pakistan and India, their appeal to viewers, and their impact on and representation of social norms, political opinions, and cultural heritage. The study focuses on comprehending the language, humor, and visual elements used to effectively convey messages from memes in different countries. The research embraces cultural essence and offers a thorough examination of how memes influence public opinion and cultural narratives in Pakistan and India. The finding reveals that memes have evolved as powerful tools for social interaction, self-expression, and cultural commentary in digital networks. Study highlights the importance of memes in modern discourse and emphasizes to understand the symbolic meaning of memes for deeper knowledge in their sociological and dialectal aspects.

Oops, I Sampled Again … the Meaning of “Pastiche” as an Autonomous Concept Under EU Copyright Law

With the return of the Metal auf Metal case (Pelham v. Hütter) to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the Luxembourg court will again be faced with the question under which circumstances the reproduction of parts of a sound recording requires authorisation. When the case was first argued before the EU’s highest court, it revolved around the concept of partial reproduction of a sound recording and an interpretation of the quotation exception. In addition, the defendant had proposed that national courts, in the absence of an applicable exception, could provide for flexibility by allowing creative uses purely based on fundamental rights. The Court rejected this possibility, arguing that something akin to an open norm would create legal uncertainty. Following the first ruling, Germany, where the case originated, implemented the pastiche exception of Art. 5(3)(k) of the Information Society Directive into its national copyright law. In Pelham v. Hütter II, the CJEU is asked to give guidance on the interpretation of the concept of pastiche. Following the introduction of the exception under German law, German courts had interpreted the exception broadly, allowing a variety of derivative artistic uses. This article explores the concept of pastiche from an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective. After an overview of the relevant German decisions, it explores the various non-legal meanings of pastiche before comparing the development of the notion in the copyright laws of Italy, France and some other EU Member States. Since the non-legal as well as the different national legal understandings of pastiche do not crystallise a common understanding of the notion, pastiche is subsequently developed as an autonomous concept under EU law. In distinguishing pastiche from parody, which the CJEU developed as an autonomous concept in the Deckmyn case, the article proposes that pastiche should be understood as an exception that broadly permits referential uses that have no elements of humour or mockery – as distinct from parody – but are of an artistic nature. An important role must be assigned to the three-step test, which functions as a framework to balance the interests of rightholders and users in a given case.

What do you meme? – Meme-Making as a research method

ABSTRACT Memes have emerged as a prevalent and influential aspect of contemporary culture and their use is a significant feature of social and relational communications. Yet scant research exists within Higher Education on the use of memes to assist in the research of reactions, emotions, and perceptions. The use of meme-making as a qualitative research tool is grounded in visual research methods. This paper explores a framework for using meme-making as a research tool within Higher Education and considers two case studies that demonstrate how meme-making can been used to capture and communicate the experiences of students. Through these case studies, meme-making was revealed to introduce an element of levity and humour whilst being versatile, flexible, and easily dovetailed to other qualitative approaches. Familiarity with the medium and construction process drew upon an instilled sense of ownership revealing the method to be accessible across a diverse participant base.

Horeography in operetta performances – Case study: The ball of Prince Orlofsky from Die Fledermaus production by Johann Strauss – The Son, act II

Operetta is a musical and dramatic performance similar to, yet shorter than opera, composed to a dramatic libretto with humorous elements. It is a complex production engaging the viewer in an appealing visual and audible experience marked by a harmonious blend of movement, colour and form. From a choreographic perpective, operetta brings a particular approach in that nearly the entire performance consists of planned dance sequences or ample parts of scenic movement. The research topic is the ball organised by Prince Orlofsky of Die Fledermaus (The Bat) operetta by Johann Strauss – The Son, a part of Act II, staged by Matteo Mazzoni, choreographed by Roxana Colceag and acted out by Victor Bucur. The wide range of sequences of dance steps in an operetta performance is due to the themes of such performances which allow and even impose the existence of choreographic moments, on the one hand, and to the rhythmic, danceable music often inspired from various dances specific to the geographical area where the action takes place, on the other. The performers must accurately execute the dance technical elements. The method used in creating the choreographic moment under research is immitation–based learning. Immitation is the best-known and frequently used dance composition means and consists in the reproduction by the performer, as faithfully as possible, of a dance phrase given by the choreographer. The scenic movement and the planned sequences of dance steps are the valuable fruit of the choreographer's searches and of the performers' endeavours towards achieving a flawless creative behaviour on stage, always starting from the director's perspective. In embodying their character, the performer does not truly rely on the external models they refer to, but on a great amount of spontaneity and creativity.

Verification Agencies on TikTok: The Case of MediaWise and Politifact

This research aims to analyse the work of two international information verification agencies on TikTok—MediaWise and Politifact—according to their evolution, approach, content, and format. To this end, a quantitative approach has been used with an inductive content analysis with nominal variables, which offers specific nuances adapted to the unit of analysis. In a first phase, an empirical analysis was carried out, focusing on the measurement and quantification of the number of publications and interactions of the audience, from the time Fthey started operating on this platform until 31 December 2023. The total number of posts extracted was N > 704, which generated N > 4,166,387 user responses. In a second phase, an in-depth content analysis of all the posts published by these two agencies in four months (October and November 2021 and October and November 2023) was carried out, allowing us to analyse their evolution, but also to compare the two agencies in terms of approach, themes, and style. The most important findings show that both agencies adapt the style and narratives to this social network through the use of dynamic resources, a casual and informal tone, and elements of humour. In addition, both contribute to public reason through different strategies: MediaWise focuses on media literacy and Politifact on verification, using resources, effects and content in line with that purpose. Finally, we observe a downward evolution in terms of reach and impact on the audience, as well as a lower dynamism in 2023 than in 2021, which opens the door to future lines of explanatory research that delve deeper into possible causes.

Cringe humor in Egyptian TokTok: multimodal critical discourse analysis of selected comic strips

Abstract After the January 2011 revolution, Egyptian artists had the opportunity to express their ideas more openly. One of the major productions that started in 2011 in Egypt was TokTok, a comic magazine for adults. During the period of 2011–2015, TokTok issued fifteen issues that incorporated a collection of comics and comic strips created by different Egyptian artists. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether cringe humor has been an integral part of the drawings and stories presented in TokTok and how this type of humor reflected the socio-cultural and political scene in Egypt during that period. For this paper, Kress and Van Leeuwen’s (2006. Reading images: The grammar of visual design. Routledge) model of multimodal analysis was applied to selected comics from the fifteen issues of TokTok to investigate possible elements of cringe humor as depicted in this Egyptian graphic magazine. Major results show that elements of cringe humor are not evident in all analyzed comics.

Humor i satira u modernom pikarskom romanu The bodigard Radivoja Bojičića - od etnopsihološke anegdote do društvene kritike

Starting from Northrop Frye's claim that one of the main characteristics of satire is the element of humor based on the feeling of the grotesque or absurd, but that satire is a critical presentation of social, political and other situations, this paper discusses the elements of humor and satire in the novel The Bodyguard by Radivoje Bojičić, which is already defined in the title as a "pictorial novel". Although pictorial novels in Serbian literature do not have a long and solid tradition, Bojićič's novel about a bodyguard, who as a kind of anti-hero tells about his life's vocation full of temptations and risks, with strong touches of irony, satire and parody, as well as humor that affirms values contrary to those that are recognizable at first glance, enters the ranks of original and self-contained achievements, thus strengthening the humorous-satirical tradition embodied mostly in the work of Branislav Nušić and of Branko Ćopić. The writer achieves a special dimension of the comic in the novel by using the procedure of comic characterization of the main character, the procedure of comic exaggeration (caricatural, hyperbolic, grotesque), the procedure of inserting intertextual sections, in which the main character parodically refers to well-known phrases, platitudes and quotations from domestic literature and culture, and using a linguistic corpus and terminology appropriate to the world in which the main character found himself, but putting in the foreground precisely the language of the main character and highlighting his origin, social status and special dialectal "literacy". Because of all this, it is possible to read this novel not only as a humorous and satirical piece but also as an ethnopsychological anecdote about a primitive, aggressive and naïve man who must be first in everything - especially in heroism.

No Laughing Matter: On the Importance of the Body in Plato’s Humour

To grasp the humour in the Platonic dialogues, it is useful to observe their use of the body. This article proposes leveraging knowledge from the art of dance, an embodied art par excellence, to explore how the body makes an audience laugh. Often considered in the past as an art dealing with serious or tragic subjects, dance, like philosophy, can have a lighter side. An analysis of how humour appears in dance is used as a heuristic device to uncover three ways humour is transmitted through bodily elements in Plato’s dialogues. The choreographers focused on – the Swede Alexander Ekman and the Czech Jiří Kylián – work with a type of elevated humour that is in fact close to that of Plato. In both cases, ballet and Platonic dialogues, humorous and serious elements can be present in the same work, as if to balance the conveyed message and make it more relatable to the audience.

INTERFERENCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEXEMES IN THE UKRAINIAN HUMOROUS DISCOURSE DURING THE FULL-SCALE INVASION

The article highlights the cognitive and linguistic aspects of Ukrainian humorous discourse during the full-scale Russian invasion, focusing on the process of interference of words of foreign origin. Particular attention is paid to lexemes and their reinterpretation through cognitive patterns, such as availability heuristics, negative thinking, the accessibility cascade, the friend-foe pattern, the effect of contrast and stereotypical expectations. The study reveals a variety of stylistic means of comism that are caused by the interference of words of foreign origin in humorous Ukrainian discourse. The main techniques are irony, allusion, comic innuendo, parallelism, paradox, hyperbole, baphos, gradation, metaphor, and rhetorical figures. These stylistic elements of humor play an important role in creating a comic effect and shaping a humorous statement in wartime. The determined communicative functions of Ukrainian humor fragments relate to maintaining an optimistic moral state, promoting the unanimity of the Ukrainian people in the difficult circumstances of the war, creating a negative image of the enemy, and relieving psychological stress that occurs in people during hostilities, air raids, and shelling. The sample has three American tokens, three English tokens, two German tokens, and one Turkish token, which is duplicated in two jokes. All of them are reinterpreted and receive additional meanings and connotations. Ukrainian humorous discourse during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is based on topics relevant to the country: political, military, cultural-historical, and social. The systematized use of borrowed words in modern jokes can be seen, and it concerns the current realities of Ukrainians. Humor itself is built on situational circumstances, military aspects, and their consequences for society. The interference of foreign-language lexemes leads to the acquisition of specific words and phrases with new and ambiguous lexical and semantic meanings. Most of the sample, which refers to the military aid of Western countries, interprets the borrowed words in a positive sense; the other part, which concerns Russian realities, gives the constructions negative comic and ironic-humorous meanings.

The Representation of Identity and Belonging in Toba Tek Singh

Saadat Hassan Manto is well known for his portrayal of society through skillful integration of personal, historical, and cultural experiences. This study looks at "Toba Tek Singh," a masterpiece of Saadat Hasan Manto's fiction that provides a detailed analysis of representation of identity and belonging. A clear picture of the unrest surrounding India's 1947 split is painted in this short story. The narrative explores significant historical events as well as challenging issues of identity and belonging. This article examines the several ways in which Manto employs these ideas to express division. The themes that are emphasized are examined by exploring the surroundings, symbols, and characters. The study investigates at how the narrative emphasizes the difficulties in building an identity and trying to find a sense of belonging in a divided society due to political upheaval. The objectives of the study call for the thematic analysis. This study examines the attachment of identities and a sense of belonging to people that cannot be replaced or removed. Through a close analysis of characters, symbolism, and narrative techniques, the study unveils the complex interplay of cultural, social, and personal elements that shape the characters' sense of self and their connection to their surroundings. The research argues that Manto's portrayal of the inmates, particularly the eponymous character Bishan Singh, serves as a microcosm reflecting the broader human struggle for belonging in a world marked by divisions and chaos. The narrative skillfully employs elements of absurdity, tragedy, and dark humor to underscore the arbitrary nature of borders and the resulting displacement of identities.

Samotny smakosz albo krótki przewodnik po komiksowych przedstawieniach konsumpcji

The Solitary Gourmet, or a Short Guide to Comics Depictions of Food Consumption Depictions of food consumption in comic books are quite numerous but they rarely stick in the minds of readers, especially when they serve as the background for the unfolding story. If the authors, however, decide to depict food, they do so in large part to achieve a few specific purposes: emphasize the characteristics of the characters, deconstruct the seriousness of the narrative, and introduce humorous elements. All of this takes place on two levels: aesthetic (from realistic to cartoonish) and existential (eating is one of the most ordinary day-to-day activities). The article aims to show the various possibilities of using representations of food consumption and discuss their meaning using selected examples.

Zwyczajni niezwyczajni. Codzienność superbohaterów w komiksach spod znaku Ultimate Marvel

Typically Atypical: The Everyday Life of Ultimate Marvel Comic Superheroes Depictions of food consumption in comic books are quite numerous but they rarely stick in the minds of readers, especially when they serve as the background for the unfolding story. If the authors, however, decide to depict food, they do so in large part to achieve a few specific purposes: emphasize the characteristics of the characters, deconstruct the seriousness of the narrative, and introduce humorous elements. All of this takes place on two levels: aesthetic (from realistic to cartoonish) and existential (eating is one of the most ordinary day-to-day activities). The article aims to show the various possibilities of using representations of food consumption and discuss their meaning using selected examples.

Exploring the Depths of Modern Life as Reflected in Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

This paper explores the philosophical themes present in Franz Kafka's seminal work, The Metamorphosis (1915). Through an analysis of the novella, the paper delves into how Kafka grapples with profound issues such as alienation, existential crisis, and the human condition. The paper examines the transformative journey of the protagonist, GregorSamsa, who undergoes a physical and psychological metamorphosis into a bug, serving as a metaphor for the human experience of feeling disconnected from oneself and others. By immersing readers in Gregor's surreal and isolating world, Kafka prompts introspection into the inherent struggles of human existence. Moreover, the paper explores Kafka's masterful use of absurdity and dark humor throughout the narrative, shedding light on the futility of human existence and the inevitability of death. By interweaving absurd and grimly humorous elements, Kafka offers a critique of societal norms and underscores the existential anxieties that arise when confronted with the absurdity of life. The pervasive sense of irony and bleakness in the novella serves to highlight the absurd and inherently flawed nature of the human condition. Furthermore, the research paper delves into the influences that shaped Kafka's philosophy, particularly his Jewish identity and experiences living in a rapidly changing, industrializing society. Kafka's writing reflects the anxieties and struggles of individuals in a modernized world, highlighting the existential dilemmas faced by those grappling with societal expectations and personal identity. By examining the philosophical dimensions of "The Metamorphosis," this paper offers a nuanced and in-depth analysis of Kafka's views on the human experience and the search for meaning in modern life. It invites readers to engage with the profound questions raised by Kafka's work and provides valuable insights into his philosophical stance. IUBAT Review, 6(2): 131-157

International Variables: Translation Problems for the Localization of Web Apps

In localization, international variables refer to source cultural elements that require a certain degree of adaptation in a target culture, such as date, time and number formats, currencies, colours, images, humour elements, etc. Although localization involves the adaptation of a digital product to a specific market, certain aspects of localization projects (i.e., source file formats, translation tools or project specifications) could become an obstacle to achieving that ultimate goal of localization, even giving rise to errors or culturally inappropriate translations. This qualitative, interpretative study analyses a corpus compiled from the online help pages of web applications to identify and describe potential translation problems caused by international variables.

Features of the olonkho "Duguya Bege" (towards the formulation of a comprehensive study)

In the context of the introduction of post–non-classical paradigms in the study of oral folk art, it seems timely to turn to one of the brightest examples of folk art of the northern local tradition - the text of olonkho "Duguya Bege", highly appreciated at one time from a scholarly point of view by folklorists S. I. Bolo, V. M. Nikiforov, historian A. P. Okladnikov. The novelty of this study lies in an attempt to identify the ways of further research of the text of this peculiar olonkho, as well as the map of the epic universe attached to it, containing valuable information about historical, ethnographic, toponymic and hydronymic facts. The purpose of this article is to highlight the features of the linguistic fabric, structure, semantics, semiotics of the olonkho "Duguya Bege" and to identify the vector of a comprehensive discussion of problems in its research. The work implements a historical approach, uses methods of review, hermeneutics, generalization, structural and functional analyses. The author dwells on the description of the structural organization, some semantic features, the specifics of the image system, the saturation of the sign system, the originality of the linguistic fabric, the variety of applications of artistic and visual means, genre relationships in the studied olonkho. It is reported that the observation of elements of sarcasm, humor and other forms of comic in the text may indicate the former existence and development of national satire in the Oymyakon tradition. The author comes to the conclusion about the need for a comprehensive study of the text and the epic map of the olonkho world model "Duguya Bege" from the perspective of knowledge and methods of other sciences – history, ethnography, linguistics, geography, semiotics, mythology, which indicates the prospects for further work with this multilevel and multidimensional epic text.

Crímenes, risas y tensión: consideraciones sobre el humor en pódcasts brasileños de true crime

This work reflects on humorous elements present in audio accounts of real crimes. With this objective, we identified a set of rhetorical and expressive procedures related to humor in the podcasts Modus Operandi and Café com Crime, which characterize these accounts both in verbal and in specifically sound aspects. Based on this, we present contributions to the theory of true crime, which describes typical narrative codes of the genre, and we observe an effort by these podcasts to balance narrative tension and comedy. We also see the possibility of subverting the concept of comic relief to give way to strategies of dramatic safeguarding with the function of setting limits to laughter withinthis genre. Finally, we raise possible paths for the ethical debates.