German Jokes in the Context of the Anthropocentric Paradigm

Abstract

The article examines the main features of German jokes from the positions of anthropocentrism. A joke can be defined as a complex communicative act unfolding on different communication levels and based on the comic and pointe. A joke includes a change of semantic levels, which occurs in situational jokes at the expense of situational biplaneity, while in the language ones – based on the language biplaneity. Successful production, reproduction and perception of a joke (especially a language one) depend on the language experience, competence, linguistic capabilities of the linguistic person as a participant of the act of communication.