Nationale Stereotype in deutschen und polnischen multiethnischen Witzen
National Stereotypes in German and Polish Multi-Ethnic Jokes)

Summary/Abstract: The paper addresses the issue of national stereotypes in multi-ethnic jokes. Its main aim is to explore what stereotypical representations are contained in selected Polish and German jokes and to identify their basic categories. The paper consists of two parts – a theoretical and a practical one. The theoretical part is devoted to the attempt to define a stereotype and distinguish it from so-called “related concepts”, i.e. clichés, enemy images and prejudices. Particular attention is paid to national stereotypes, especially the process of their creation, their typical linguistic elements and their impact on society. The concept of the joke is then characterized and its characteristics and themes are explained in detail. The different types of joke functions and the classification of jokes proposed by researchers, including by content and joke structure, are also presented. A particularly important subgroup of jokes are the so-called ethnic jokes. The paper explains how they were developed and what their characteristics are. The empirical part, on the other hand, aims to contrast individual German and Polish multi-ethnic jokes and compare them in terms of the nationalities and stereotypes they contain. An analysis is conducted to determine whether the stereotypes are predominantly negative or positive and which motives are predominant. Another important aspect of the analysis is the differentiation between hetero- and auto-stereotypes, which reflect the way in which the representatives of a particular nation view foreign nations and themselves. The linguistic aspects of ethnic humor, such as specific dialects, which manifest themselves mainly in local/regional jokes, are also studied. However, the study focuses not only on the stereotypical characteristics of the nationalities or ethnic groups concerned, but also on the allusions to historical events, the political and economic situation in the jokes. The analysis is summarized throughout the conclusions, in which the main differences and similarities between German and Polish ethnic humor are explained.

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