Humour means different things to different people. Many disagreements over the purpose of humour, its appropriateness, its effectiveness, and even over what humour constitutes, can be traced to people's differing definitions and expectations. By supplying an overview of humour studies and by treating a wide range of humour-related subjects, the authors hope to show that humour cuts across many aspects of life. It is to be expected that architects, for insance, will view humour differently from lawyers, or children, or stand-up comedians. The overall focus of the Encyclopedia is on 20th-century American humour, with historical and international information included only when it resonates in contemporary America.