Having a Laugh: Gender and Humour in Everyday Talk [2006]

Abstract

This chapter will explore the way gender is constructed in humorous interaction, drawing on a database of spontaneous talk involving all-female, all-male and mixed groups.¹ I shall take the theoretical position that gender is not fixed but is accomplished in interaction with others. Humour is a normal component of everyday talk and serves (among other things) to reproduce gendered stereotypes, ideologies and identities. I shall examine humorous talk in a wide range of contexts, including the home, the pub, the classroom and the workplace, but concentrating on informal contexts and on humour’s role in creating and maintaining solidarity among speakers.