JOKING AS A SEMIOTIC PRACTICE AND MEANS OF SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL. A PRAGMA-LINGUISTIC AND STYLISTIC APPROACH (original) (raw)

Throughout the centuries, jokes have accompanied people’s lives, being part of the fabric of civilisation. Constituting themselves as social practices (with a strong social impact on people’s everyday life), jokes were (and still are) an expression of people’s joy of life in happy times and a means of escaping the harsh reality in difficult times. Our paper has in view the latter context that triggers humour, analysing a set of jokes that used to be (more or less secretely) told during the communist regime in Romania. They are culture-specific jokes, highlighting the absurdities of Romania’s political situation under the communist government, laughing at Ceauşescu (the Romanian communist dictator), his family and staff and, at the same time, making (bitter) fun of the disastrous Romanian people`s life which was triggered by the strict communist laws and fixed ideas. Thus, for the purpose of our study, we have referred to: a) jokes that reflect the Romanian people`s frustrations in everyday life; b) jokes that reflect people’s attitude of disgust against their leader; c) jokes that reflect people’s bitter disappointment and hopelessness;d) jokes that make fun of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu and their staff; d) jokes that make fun of the communist regime; e) jokes that underline the (radical) solutions people dreamt of for solving their problems. The jokes about communism represent a way in which the Romanians tried to overcome the difficulties of the times, remaining united as a nation, as the humour in this case played upon the dichotomy solidarity/exclusion: people laughed together (solidarity) at Ceauşescu and his regime (exclusion). In communist times, joking about the social and political situation in the country was one of the few manners in which people could distinguish/separate themselves from the grotesque image and absurd ideas of their leader. The paper tries to depict the manner in which these jokes (which appeared as a result of the people’s need to express their true feelings about the communists and their leaders) managed to ensure the Romanians’ spiritual survival in a rigid regime which neither appreciated nor encouraged humour. Through the pragma-linguistic and stylistic annalysis offered we intend to render the real meaning of these jokes in their cultural and social context, as well as their influence in interpersonal relationships.