"Made You Laugh"

Marc Tyler Nobleman shows in an essay how serious he is about being funny. Learn this list if you too want to make people laugh.

Here are all the word lists to support the reading of Grade 8 Unit 4's texts from SpringBoard's Common Core ELA series: Made You Laugh, Brothers, Pet Peeves, Underfunded Schools Forced to Cut, The Open Window, A Day's Work, They Have Yarns, Mooses, Is Traffic Jam Delectable?, The Power of Pets, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fear Busters
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. random
    lacking any definite plan or order or purpose
    It has a certain rhythm; laughter syllables build, then trail off, and they come out in a repetitive, not random, sequence.
  2. typical
    exhibiting the qualities that identify a group or kind
    For example, "ha-ha-ho-ho-he" is typical, but "ha-ho-ha-ho-ha" or "he-ho-he" just doesn't happen.
  3. varied
    widely different
    Even within one state or town or family, senses of humor are as varied as the people are.
  4. critical
    urgently needed; absolutely necessary
    Timing is critical.
  5. comment
    a statement that expresses a personal opinion
    "The best humor has some sort of layer to it; it makes a statement of some kind or comment"
  6. perspective
    a way of regarding situations or topics
    "What makes us laugh is a surprise change in perspective that connects an unknown with a known idea in a unique manner"
  7. reinforce
    make stronger
    people tend to laugh at things that reinforce what they already believe.
  8. keen
    demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
    Sometimes it's a keen observation about something you thought you lived through.
  9. juxtaposition
    the act of positioning close together
    Sometimes it's a juxtaposition of words.
  10. gesture
    motion of hands or body to emphasize a thought or feeling
    Sometimes it's a gesture or a sound.
  11. contagious
    easily diffused or spread as from one person to another
    Like a yawn, a laugh is contagious.
  12. guffaw
    a burst of loud and hearty laughter
    He found that the greatest guffaws did not follow intentionally funny statements; people laughed hardest at everyday comments that seemed funny only in a certain social context.
  13. tension
    a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
    Humor gives a break from tension.
  14. forbidden
    excluded from use or mention
    Humor also lets us deal with unpleasant or forbidden issues, such as death and violence.
  15. retrospect
    contemplation of things past
    The worst things that happen to you are hysterical--in retrospect.
  16. persona
    an image of oneself that one presents to the world
    Some comedians exploited this theory by building a routine--or even a persona--around the idea that they were losers who couldn't catch a break.
  17. incongruity
    the quality of disagreeing
    Incongruity theory--People laugh when things that are not normally associated with each other are put together.
  18. unpredictability
    the quality of being without a certain outcome
    They are being led in a certain direction, and then that direction abruptly changes, and the unpredictability makes them laugh.
  19. context
    the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation
    That is a pattern in which two nonfunny elements are followed by a third that is funny (yet still makes sense within the context).
  20. necessary
    absolutely essential
    Keep it short--Don't include any details that are not necessary to bring you to the punch line.
  21. specific
    distinguishing something particular or unique
    Be specific--Some comedians swear that a joke is funnier if you say "Aquafresh" instead of "toothpaste."
  22. deadpan
    deliberately impassive in manner
    Keep a straight face--Deliver the joke deadpan, or without emotion.
  23. audience
    a gathering of spectators or listeners at a performance
    Don't laugh at your own joke--Let your audience decide whether it is funny or foolish--or both.
  24. technique
    a practical method or art applied to some particular task
    Theories and techniques aside, much about humor remains a mystery.
  25. formula
    directions for making something
    There's no 100-percent surefire formula.
Created on Tue Sep 15 13:34:58 EDT 2015 (updated Wed Sep 16 02:24:57 EDT 2015)

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