A lexical approach to laughter classification: Natural language distinguishes six (classes of) formal characteristics

Abstract

Although research on laughter is becoming increasingly common, there is no consensus on the description of its variations. Investigating all verbal attributes that relate to the term laughter may lead to a broad set of descriptors deemed important by the speakers of a language. Through a linguistic corpus analysis using the German language, formal attributes of laughter were identified (original pool: 1148 single-word descriptors and 172 multi-word descriptors). A category system was derived in an iterative process, leading to six higher order classes describing formal characteristics of laughter: Basic parameters, intensity, visible aspects, sound, uniqueness, and regulation. Furthermore, 15 raters judged the words for several criteria (appropriateness, positive and negative valence, active and passive use). From these ratings and the prior assignment, a list of attributes suitable for the characterization of laughter in its formal characteristics was derived. By comparing the proposed classification of formal characteristics of laughter with the scientific literature, potential gaps in the current research agenda are pointed out in the final section.

How humor is experienced: An embodied metaphor account

“…In addition to the similar HUMOR IS FORCE metaphor (unbändiges Lachen 'irrepressible laughter') as in English, humor was also conceptualized by internal bodily experience in the German context, which was instantiated in metaphors like HUMOR IS SENSORY PERCEPTIONS (bitter lachen 'laugh bitterly') and HUMOR IS LOCATED IN THE BODY (Mit einem fröhlichen Lachen auf den Lippen 'a merry laugh on her lips'; Alles lachte ja in ihm 'everything in him laughed'). In another vein of the research, Ruch et al (2019) investigated the attributes associated with laughter. In their Study 1, Ruch et al (2019) classified six categories of laughter-related attributes by sorting out all co-occurred terms with the flections of lachen (meaning 'laughter' or 'to laugh') in a number of German corpora.…”

“…In another vein of the research, Ruch et al (2019) investigated the attributes associated with laughter. In their Study 1, Ruch et al (2019) classified six categories of laughter-related attributes by sorting out all co-occurred terms with the flections of lachen (meaning 'laughter' or 'to laugh') in a number of German corpora. One of the categories of the laughter-related attributes was intensity, containing features such as the degree to which the body is involved in laughing (e.g., bebend, meaning 'quivering'; krampfartig, meaning 'spasmodic').…”

“…In other words, this attribute of laughter suggests that it is common for one to describe the intensity of laughter with terms depicting the degree of bodily involvement. Although the embodied metaphor is not the focus of their study, Ruch et al (2019) adds supplementary linguistic evidence to a close relation between laughter and the body.…”

Laughter signature, a new approach to gender recognition

“…The articulate expression of laughter changes across sex, individuals, and settings 47 as different individuals have their favorite subset of phones for laughing. 48 Ruch et al 49 pointed out that there are biometric traits in laughter like in fingerprints and confirmed that this field has not been exploited. Thus, the aim and major contribution of this study is to investigate the use of laughter signature for GR using audio laughter.…”

“…Ruch et al 49 pointed out that there are biometric traits in laughter like in fingerprints and confirmed that this field has not been exploited. Thus, the aim and major contribution of this study is to investigate the use of laughter signature for GR using audio laughter.…”