Linguistic and cultural determinacy of Deaf humour
Emilia Perez – Simona Klimkova
DOI: 10.18355/XL.2016.09.04.108-115
Abstract
Addressing the community of the Deaf as a specific cultural group with its own linguistic, social and cultural background, the authors of the article focus on the peculiarities of humorous cartoons and comic strips for/about Deaf recipients. Previous research in the domestic context indicates that the core of the humour in the analysed material stems very often from various communicational misunderstandings, ambiguities and even condemnation emerging from an inability to hear or the fact that a communication tool other than spoken language is being used. The article ponders upon the translatability and transferability of humour in the cartoons and comic strips aimed at a Deaf audience, researching the extent of the cultural determinacy of Deaf humour. This is observed from two aspects – cultural affiliation to the Deaf culture as well as membership of and influence by the culture (and humour traditions) of the hearing society. The authors present the results of ongoing reception research conducted with a sample audience.
Key Words
deaf culture, humour, translatability, cartoons, comic strips
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