4

Shaggy Dog Stories

Question to analyze: Is certain prior knowledge needed in order to understand the joke?

Gee’s Questions: 1&6

1. What social languages were involved?

-“ Some friars wanted to do more for their flock but their vow of poverty, simple lifestyle and lack of gainful employment meant that their supply of available funds was, to say the least, meager” ..A person needs to recognize sarcasm in order to understand the aim of the joke.

-“ran back to his Mercedes’ ..A person needs to be aware that reference means he is wealthy.

6. How does intertexuality work in the text, that is, in what ways does the text quote, allude to, or otherwise borrow words from other oral or written sources?

-In order to completely understand the Shaggy Dog Stories, you need to have knowledge of certain things.  For example, “thereby proving that only Hugh can prevent florist friars,” is a pun that relates back to Smokey the Bear.  If you never heard of Smokey the Bear’s line “Only you can prevent forest fires” then you are not going to understand the pun.

-. "Would you believe a lawyer who told you the Czech was in the male?," is another pun that a person may not understand if they don’t know what at Czech is. 

Theory: If a particular joke refers to an outside source in order to make a joke funny, then the joke may not be fully understood.