This posthumous collection of Dutch linguist John Dienhart’s writings on the language of humor and riddles highlights the complexities of these types of communications and the interchange
between the many facets of language necessary to transmit the meaning of funny. Noted as a scholar of the Mayan language and computer-age grammar, Dienhart’s accessible writings on humor
showcase not only his understanding of the linguistics involved but also his ability to teach complex topics well. The works collected in this volume include A Linguistic Look at Riddles,
Triggers and Targets: a Linguistic Look at Humor, Adverbials, Direct Objects and the Style of Carson McCullers and Phonological Ingenuety in ＂Five Songs＂ by W.H. Auden. Distributed in the US by
ISBS. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
