The satiric content of urban jokelore: a study in a metropolitan city of north east India

Folklore is an integral part of human beings as they interact with each other on a daily basis in a variety of expressive ways. It includes all those processes, forms and behaviours through which thoughts, feelings, beliefs and knowledge are communicated from one person to another. So whether oral literature, like folktales, legends, jokes, myths or proverbs; material things, like houses or folk crafts; performing arts, like folk music or dance; or customs and beliefs; all come under the purview of folklore. Urban folklore, of which joke is an important segment, gives an insight into the working environments, the pressures and challenges as well as the fears and anxieties of the urbanite. A study of these would throw light upon many aspects of urban behaviour and life. The study follows the Descriptive Survey Method combined with analytical explorations.