The Language of Humour
* examines the importance of the social context for humour
* explores the issue of gender and humour in areas such as the New Lad culture in comedy and stand-up comedy
* includes comic transcripts from TV sketches such as Clive Anderson and Peter Cook

Introduction Unit one: 'Just for a laugh?' Unit two: 'I say, I say, I say' Unit three: The shock of the new Unit four: 'My mother-in-law ... ' Unit five: 'Crikey, that's a hard one!' Unit six: Written texts - literature Unit seven: Spoken humour -television and radio Unit eight: Stand-up comedy

Alison Ross is a visiting lecturer at Leeds University and Sheffield Hallam University. She is a senior examiner and moderator for the NEAB English Language A Level.