Chapter published in:
The Dynamics of Interactional Humor: Creating and negotiating humor in everyday encounters
Edited by Villy Tsakona and Jan Chovanec
[Topics in Humor Research 7] 2018
► pp. 229–256

Online joint fictionalization

| Democritus University of Thrace
Genres are dynamic discoursal structures which are frequently subject to change so as to adapt to speakers’ new communicative goals and exigencies. The present paper explores the particularities of a quite recent genre of humor, online joint fictionalization, which seems to have emerged from oral joint fictionalization involving the collaborative construction of humorous fictional scenarios in informal face-to-face interactions among peers. The present case study reveals significant similarities between the new digital genre and the initial oral one. Furthermore, it appears that the new genre incorporates other humorous genres such as memes, which are typical of online communication and, in this new context, contribute to the construction of the fictional scenario at hand.
Keywords: humor, joint fictionalization, genre, online interaction, Facebook, fictional scenarios, meme, status update, online networks
Published online: 05 January 2018
https://doi.org/10.1075/thr.7.10tsa
References

Primary sources

Facebook communities [in Greek]

The Crocodile of Amari Should Remain in the Potami Dam
[Να παραμείνει ο κροκόδειλος του Αμαρίου στο Φράγμα των Ποταμών] (2015) Retrieved from https://​www​.facebook​.com​/naparameineiokrokodeilosstofragma​?fref​=pb​&hc​_location​=profile​_browser

News articles cited in the study

Crete: “Sifis” originates in the Nile and he is… well-fed
(2014) Skai.gr, August 29th. Retrieved from http://​www​.skai​.gr​/news​/environment​/article​/264545​/kriti​-o​-sifis​-katagetai​-apo​-to​-neilo​-kai​-einai​-kalotaismenos [in Greek]
Crete’s crocodile found dead after cold snap
(2015) Sky News, March 30th. Retrieved from http://​news​.sky​.com​/story​/1455468​/cretes​-crocodile​-found​-dead​-after​-cold​-snap
Crocodile almost two meters long in a dam in Crete
(2014) To Vima, July 4th. Retrieved from http://​www​.tovima​.gr​/society​/article​/?aid​=612462 [in Greek]
Herpetologist Olivier Behra is here for Sifis the crocodile
(2014) Newsbomb.gr, August 26th. Retrieved from http://​www​.newsbomb​.gr​/ellada​/news​/story​/487859​/irthe​-o​-erpetologos​-olivie​-mpehra​-gia​-ton​-sifi​-ton​-krokodeilo [in Greek]
Mystery 6ft crocodile appears in middle of Greek lake – leaving local farmers terrified
(2014) The Independent, July 9th. Retrieved from http://​www​.independent​.co​.uk​/news​/world​/europe​/mystery​-6foot​-crocodile​-appears​-in​-middle​-of​-greek​-lake​--leaving​-local​-farmers​-terrified​-9594507​.html
Sifis the Cretan crocodile is found dead – defying his hunters to the last
(2015) The Guardian, March 30th. Retrieved from http://​www​.theguardian​.com​/world​/2015​/mar​/30​/sifis​-the​-cretan​-crocodile​-is​-found​-dead
Sifis the crocodile to be part of Epiphany celebration on Crete
(2015) Independent, January 5th. Retrieved from http://​www​.independent​.mk​/articles​/13070​/Sifis+the+Crocodile+to+be+Part+of+Epiphany+Celebration+on+Crete
Tokyo is interested in the crocodile of Crete
(2014) Real.gr, July 18th. Retrieved from http://​www​.real​.gr​/DefaultArthro​.aspx​?page​=arthro​&id​=340299​&catID​=3 [in Greek]
“Uncatchable” crocodile who terrorized Greek island and evaded world’s greatest hunters is found dead
(2015) Mirror, March 30th. Retrieved from http://​www​.mirror​.co​.uk​/news​/world​-news​/uncatchable​-crocodile​-who​-terrorised​-greek​-5429546
“World’s greatest crocodile hunter” fails to catch “Sifis” – Crete’s fugitive reptile
(2014) The Guardian, September 2nd. Retrieved from http://​www​.theguardian​.com​/world​/2014​/sep​/02​/crocodile​-hunter​-olivier​-behra​-fails​-catch​-sifis​-crete​-rethymnon

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