Humor

The nature of humor seems to lie in the question as to whether defining humor in this series "Design Language" is itself humor. The word humor was derived from the Latin term humor&sbquo meaning body fluid. It was said that when body fluid loses a certain kind of balance&sbquo the constitution of the person changes to make him eccentric. From this the word became linked to one's laughing at the behavior of such an eccentric person&sbquo and then came to refer to the comedies and daily conversation pieces that induce such laughter. Humor includes the meaning of the laughter of generosity as in the pathos of human emotion. In other words&sbquo it is a factor that induces the emotion and feeling of "laughter" of facilitate smoother communication in daily socializing. The following four definitions are general in analyzing this factor. (1) irony&sbquo (2) sense of absurdity&sbquo (3) realistic and agreeable sense of acceptance&sbquo and (4) sense of affection. The French scholar of English literature Louis Cazamian wrote The Development of English Humor and later incorporated his conclusion&sbquo "why humor cannot be defined&sbquo" into a research paper. In Japan such writers as Shoyo Tsubouchi and Soseki Natsume described humor as "something like a flavor that is generated from the root of one's character&sbquo and an expression enveloped in tenderness." It is inevitable that there are differences in the expression and interpretation of humor depending on the cultural sphere that surrounds the character. If&sbquo however&sbquo humor is an important element in communication&sbquo then it is certain that the relationship between humor an usability (= interaction) is an element that should be structured an systematized in design as well. In conclusion&sbquo perhaps I should commend myself for refraining from any humor so far in my writing.

Copyright © 2009 Kazuo KAWASAKI All rights reserved.