Ethnic jokes in professional communication [articol]

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the role of ethnic humour in professional communication, with examples of both funny and harmless jokes and idioms, which can be used as ice breakers or conversation fillers, and, on the contrary, malicious and offensive jokes and idioms, which can ruin communication in the workplace or lead to conflicts. The analysis of various types of humour and the impact they may have on a certain audience, together with the case studies of British and American ethnic jokes, show that there is a thin line between amusement and offense, and precaution is always necessary when using laughter as a communication tool.