Code Mixing in Verbal Humour in Stand-up Comedy: a Case Study of Selected Chipkeezy’s Performances in Churchill Show

Abstract

Humour is probably specific to human species and verbal humour certainly is, as it is carried by language use in a certain context to achieve humorous effects. People are able to laugh for something interesting no matter how different they are in terms of their culture, country, age, or sex, humour is therefore a universal phenomenon shared by all people. The aim of the present study was to analyze code-mixing strategies for humorous purposes in stand-up comedy. The study adopts Muysken’s model of classification were three types of code-mixing are identified: insertion, alternation and congruent lexicalization.The data is elicited from seven episodes of Churchill show aired in 2013 where performances by Chipkeezy are singled out. The data is transcribed, translated then analysed using Muysken’s model. Humour is a common phenomenon in language, one important prerequisite of its humour effect lies in its incongruity. Humour does not arise from the presence of incongruity but from its resolution. The study analyzes code-mixed jokes and how they utilize the concept of incongruity to elicit humorous effects. The findings of the study have demonstrated that code-mixing assists in the built-up of the incongruity which produces humorous effects