Classification of Laughter in Stand-Up Comedies

The article is aimed at developing a classification of laughter which can be applied while analyzing stand-up comedies. The author examines such aspects of laughter as the nature of laughter and types of laughter in detail. The author examines the physiological and social nature of laughter. The article also describes various types of laughter. This article distinguishes three main types of laughter based on the degree of intensity, the structural arrangement of ridiculed fragments and significance: warming-up, main and follow-up. Warming-up laughter is the reaction of the audience to the comedian’s secondary jokes which are aimed at preparing audience for the main jokes on this topic. Main laughter is the reaction of the audience to the main jokes of the speaker around which all the previous material is based on. Follow-up laughter is the reaction of the audience to statements that follow immediately after the main jokes. The latter type of laughter cannot be taken into account while analyzing the jokes because it can be the reaction to non-humorous material.