Nor Azikin Mohd Omar | Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia (original) (raw)
Papers by Nor Azikin Mohd Omar
This paper aims to explore the use of subversive humour in a range of educational contexts in Ind... more This paper aims to explore the use of subversive humour in a range of educational contexts in India, Malaysia and Vietnam, including a local secondary school in India, a department in a university in Malaysia, and a public language learning centre in Vietnam. Although it has been noted that humour “is a very effective means of challenging the status quo in socially acceptable and linguistically sophisticated ways” (Holmes and Marra 2002: 84), the subversive functions of humour remain largely under-researched. We aim to address this gap by analysing authentic audio- and video-recorded data in these different educational contexts. In line with most recent functional discourse analytical studies (c.f. Schnurr & Plester fc), our study is empirical, and analyses selected instances of humour that occurred in authentic interactions. We are therefore not interested in making grand claims about the use of humour in the educational and socio-cultural contexts in which the humour occurred but ...
This is a pilot study for my Phd study on leadership discourse in a higher institution in Malaysi... more This is a pilot study for my Phd study on leadership discourse in a higher institution in Malaysia. The poster was presented during Warwick Poster Competition 2015.
The conceptualisation of humour as a means of communication is not new (Martineau, 1972, p. 101).... more The conceptualisation of humour as a means of communication is not new (Martineau, 1972,
p. 101). Research on the social functions of humour has contributed valuable information
not only on the positive psychological effect of humour, but also on the understanding of
social interaction patterns and the dynamics of group structure (Martineau, 1972, p. 103).
Studies from the West have indicated that humour is highly recognised as a powerful
discourse to be used to wield power in workplace setting (Sollit-Morris, 1997; Holmes &
Marra, 2002a; Holmes & Stubbe, 2003; Arfeen, 2009). This study investigates the functions
of humour and the enactment of power amongst academics in asymmetrical relations. The
parameters of this study are confined to the different status position of the participants
who use humour to wield power during academic management meetings. Data for the
study were collected from semi-formal meetings that were recorded in a local university
in the state of Terengganu. The instances of humour elicited from the naturally-occurring
discourse of the academic staff were categorised based on Hay’s Taxonomy of Functions
of Humour (1995), which mainly focuses on power in discourse. The findings revealed
that the production of humour in academic management meetings is highly influenced by
the status or position that one occupies.
Keywords: Humour, power, academic management meetings, workplace discourse, Malaysia
The use of humor at the workplace has been well researched in Western countries but such studies ... more The use of humor at the workplace has been well researched in Western countries but such studies in Asian societies are still in its infancy. This study aims to investigate the utilization of humour in academic meetings. In particular, it aims to investigate the factors that influence rapport building through humour in asymmetrical and symmetrical relationships. Data for the study comprise of video recordings of naturally occurring interaction between academic staff meeting. Hay’s Taxonomy of Functions of Humour (1995) was used to categorise the functions of humour that mainly maintains solidarity among academicians. Results indicate that friendly teasing and “all-together-now” i.e. AATN (Coates 1989) are frequently used amongst academics to develop and maintain solidarity. Humour appreciation is also shown to strengthen, construct and maintain collegiality in the workplace setting.
Keywords: humour; solidarity; workplace communication; academic management meetings; Malaysia
This paper aims to explore the use of subversive humour in a range of educational contexts in Ind... more This paper aims to explore the use of subversive humour in a range of educational contexts in India, Malaysia and Vietnam, including a local secondary school in India, a department in a university in Malaysia, and a public language learning centre in Vietnam. Although it has been noted that humour “is a very effective means of challenging the status quo in socially acceptable and linguistically sophisticated ways” (Holmes and Marra 2002: 84), the subversive functions of humour remain largely under-researched. We aim to address this gap by analysing authentic audio- and video-recorded data in these different educational contexts. In line with most recent functional discourse analytical studies (c.f. Schnurr & Plester fc), our study is empirical, and analyses selected instances of humour that occurred in authentic interactions. We are therefore not interested in making grand claims about the use of humour in the educational and socio-cultural contexts in which the humour occurred but ...
This is a pilot study for my Phd study on leadership discourse in a higher institution in Malaysi... more This is a pilot study for my Phd study on leadership discourse in a higher institution in Malaysia. The poster was presented during Warwick Poster Competition 2015.
The conceptualisation of humour as a means of communication is not new (Martineau, 1972, p. 101).... more The conceptualisation of humour as a means of communication is not new (Martineau, 1972,
p. 101). Research on the social functions of humour has contributed valuable information
not only on the positive psychological effect of humour, but also on the understanding of
social interaction patterns and the dynamics of group structure (Martineau, 1972, p. 103).
Studies from the West have indicated that humour is highly recognised as a powerful
discourse to be used to wield power in workplace setting (Sollit-Morris, 1997; Holmes &
Marra, 2002a; Holmes & Stubbe, 2003; Arfeen, 2009). This study investigates the functions
of humour and the enactment of power amongst academics in asymmetrical relations. The
parameters of this study are confined to the different status position of the participants
who use humour to wield power during academic management meetings. Data for the
study were collected from semi-formal meetings that were recorded in a local university
in the state of Terengganu. The instances of humour elicited from the naturally-occurring
discourse of the academic staff were categorised based on Hay’s Taxonomy of Functions
of Humour (1995), which mainly focuses on power in discourse. The findings revealed
that the production of humour in academic management meetings is highly influenced by
the status or position that one occupies.
Keywords: Humour, power, academic management meetings, workplace discourse, Malaysia
The use of humor at the workplace has been well researched in Western countries but such studies ... more The use of humor at the workplace has been well researched in Western countries but such studies in Asian societies are still in its infancy. This study aims to investigate the utilization of humour in academic meetings. In particular, it aims to investigate the factors that influence rapport building through humour in asymmetrical and symmetrical relationships. Data for the study comprise of video recordings of naturally occurring interaction between academic staff meeting. Hay’s Taxonomy of Functions of Humour (1995) was used to categorise the functions of humour that mainly maintains solidarity among academicians. Results indicate that friendly teasing and “all-together-now” i.e. AATN (Coates 1989) are frequently used amongst academics to develop and maintain solidarity. Humour appreciation is also shown to strengthen, construct and maintain collegiality in the workplace setting.
Keywords: humour; solidarity; workplace communication; academic management meetings; Malaysia