Introduction to Humour
What is humour? What literary devices create humour? (For example, parodies)
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What texts do you find funny and why? You may include books, films, TV shows, memes,
games, songs etc.
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Humour Devices Vocabulary
1. Exaggeration: To represent as thing as greater than it is; to make a mountain
out of a molehill.
2. Understatement: Understatement is an expression of lesser emphasis than
expected or called for. Colloquially, to understate is to downplay a situation or
reaction.
3. Incongruity: The juxtaposition of two not-quite-related ideas; something that
is out of harmony with expectations.
4. Irony: A stylistic device or type of humour in which the real meaning of the
words is different from (and opposite to) the literal meaning.
5. Wordplay: A type of humour and a literary technique focused on word usage,
with the goal of creating humour. Examples of word play include puns
6. Satire: a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
7. Parody: a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is
closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule
8. Stereotypes: a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a
particular type of person or thing.
9. Slapstick: a style of humour involving exaggerated physical activity which
exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy.
10. Sarcasm: a type of irony where people say the opposite of what they mean.
Humour Devices Vocabulary Quiz
Match the definition to the humour technique.
Humour Device Definition
1. Exaggeration a) A stylistic device or type of humour in
which the real meaning of the words is
different from (and opposite to) the
literal meaning.
2. Understatement b) a literary work holding up human vices
and follies to ridicule or scorn
3. Incongruity c) a literary or musical work in which the
style of an author or work is closely
imitated for comic effect or in ridicule
4. Irony d) a style of humour involving
exaggerated physical activity which
exceeds the boundaries of normal
physical comedy.
5. Wordplay e) To represent as thing as greater than
it is; to make a mountain out of a
molehill.
6. Satire f) The juxtaposition of two not-quite-
related ideas; something that is out
of harmony with expectations.
7. Parody g) a widely held but fixed and
oversimplified image or idea of a
particular type of person or thing.
8. Stereotype h) a type of irony where people say the
opposite of what they mean.
9. Slapstick i) A type of humour and a literary
technique focused on word usage,
with the goal of creating humour.
Examples include puns
10. Sarcasm j) an expression of lesser emphasis than
expected or called for. Colloquially, to
understate is to downplay a situation
or reaction.
