Cognitive Models of Humor in Anecdotal Discourse: Based on the Chinese Language

This study examines the cognitive models underlying humor in Chinese anecdotal discourse through a systematic frame analysis of linguistic, cultural, and pragmatic frameworks. This paper aims to demonstrate that while humor research has traditionally focused on Western models, this paper argues that Chinese anecdotal humor operates through distinct cognitive directions shaped by the language’s tonal properties, high-context cultural norms, and historical-literary traditions. A quantitative analysis reveals that linguistic ambiguity accounts for approximately 60% of humorous devices in our corpus, while conceptual opposition and cultural schema dependency comprise 25% and 15% respectively. Notably, these models frequently overlap, as seen in riddles combining homophonic wordplay with classical allusions. This research contributes to cross-cultural humor studies by demonstrating how language typology and cultural memory systems shape fundamental humor perception.