ambiguity and humour

Humour is everywhere, just as ambiguity is everywhere.

There are lots of academic studies on ambiguity in humour, for example: The ambiguity of humor, Ambiguity, jokes, and trick questions - Society for Linguistic Anthropology and The usage of ambiguity-based humour in EFL classrooms.

Here's a professional linguist by day, and stand-up comedian by night: Where Humor Hides in Language | Emily Sabo | TEDxUMDearborn - YouTube

Here's a good overview of ambiguity - whether funny or not: Ambiguity in Language: Funny but Deadly - YouTube

Can you make up your own examples of these types of ambiguity: Humorous Examples of Ambiguity - Four Linguistic BRAIN Hacks! - YouTube

Let's have a look at some examples from comedians...

Ethnically Ambiguous - YouTube [is it OK to make jokes about yourself?]

Aamer Rahman (Fear of a Brown Planet) - Reverse Racism - YouTube [this is not ambiguous!]

“Evil Genius: Needlessly Ambiguous Terms” — That Mitchell and Webb Look - YouTube [is indirect language always ambiguous? are euphemisms always ambiguous?]

The Prawns Are Off | Fawlty Towers | BBC Comedy Greats - YouTube [this is polite language, but not ambiguous!]

The Two Ronnies Four Candles HD - YouTube [can you think of any more homonyms and homophones?]

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