A joke is a short story or ironic depiction of a situation communicated with the intent of being humorous. These jokes will normally have a punchline that will end the sentence to make it humorous.
A joke can also be a single phrase or statement that employs sarcasm. The word joke can also be used as a slang term for a person or thing which is not taken seriously by others in general. A practical joke differs from a spoken one in that the major component of the humour is physical rather than verbal.
Jokes are typically for the entertainment of friends and onlookers. The desired response is generally laughter when this does not happen the joke is said to have fallen flat.
Jokes have been a part of human culture since at least 1900 BCE. A fart joke from ancient Sumer is currently believed to be the world oldest known joke
A recent discovery of a document called Philogelos gives us an insight into ancient humour.
Written in Greek by Hierocles and Philagrius, it dates to the third or fourth century AD, and contains some 260 jokes. Considering humour from our own culture as recent as the 19th century is at times baffling to us today, the humour is surprisingly familiar. They had different Stereotypes, the Absent minded professor, the eunuch, and people with hernias or bad breath were favourites.
A lot of the jokes play on the idea of knowing who you are
a barber, a bald man and an absent minded professor take a journey together. They have to camp overnight, so decide to take turns watching the luggage. When it is the barber turn, he gets bored, so amuses himself by shaving the head of the professor.
When the professor is woken up for his shift, he feels his head, and says How stupid is that barber He woken up the bald man instead of me.
Another joke goes A man tells a well known wit I had your wife, without paying a penny. The husband replies Its my duty as a husband to couple with such a monstrosity. What made you do it.
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