Students' Perceptions of Conversational Jokes and Their Enhancement at The Department of English, Kohat University of Science and Technology (Kust)

Abstract

The research aimed to assess the capacity of non-native ESL students at Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) to understand English humorous texts, such as conversational jokes, and to explore the factors influencing their ability to recognize and appreciate humor. Employing humor theories, particularly the General Theory of Verbal Humor (GTVH) developed by Attardo and Raskin (1991) and further elaborated by Attardo in 1994, 2001, and 2017, the study discovered that the comprehension of English jokes among non-native students is closely linked to their linguistic, pragmatic, sociolinguistic, and cultural competencies. The analysis revealed that English jokes are deeply intertwined with linguistic, semantic, pragmatic, and cultural elements, which often diverge significantly from what is familiar to Pakistani students. To grasp English humor effectively, students need to cultivate not only linguistic abilities but also cultural knowledge and sociolinguistic awareness. The findings indicated that students frequently struggled with humor due to its reliance on cultural references such as jargon, slang, idioms, and metaphors. Additionally, the study underscored that humor that depends on language features requires both an understanding of the target language's linguistic elements and the students' pragmatic skills. Various factors were identified as influencing students' ability to understand humor, including their intercultural competence, familiarity with the target language's culture, and their linguistic, pragmatic, and strategic skills. These competencies are crucial for interpreting the language and connecting it to relevant cultural and contextual elements, which are essential for recognizing the incongruities that humor often relies upon. Moreover, the research highlighted that humor perception involves psychological and emotional aspects, resonating with Freud’s theory of release. The study concluded that engaging with English humor effectively requires not only cognitive skills but also appropriate emotional engagement and regulation, particularly given the diversity of humor genres and their potential conflicts with students' cultural backgrounds.