In-joke
Encyclopedia
An in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke
whose humour
is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding. It is an esoteric joke which is humorous only to those who know the situation behind it.
In-jokes may exist within a small social clique, such as a group of friends, or extend to an entire profession such as the film
or professional wrestling
industries, or a particular sporting endeavour.
that act as triggers; only those who have shared the common ground provide an appropriate response.
An in-joke works to build community, sometimes at the expense of outsiders. Part of the power of an in-joke is that its audience knows that there are those who do not understand the joke.
An in-joke can also be used as a subtext
, where people in the know may find humour with something not explicitly spoken. They may even apologise for doing so to outsiders, directly or indirectly stating that what they were laughing at was an in-joke.
s, i.e., hidden content that can be revealed only by following a specific sequence of inputs.
The Jargon File
is a glossary
of hacker slang
, much of which is in-jokes or is based on in-jokes.
and Family Guy
, insert numerous in-jokes per episode, often referring to other TV shows, movies, or even self-referencing the show itself.
The 2009 movie Star Trek contained multiple references to the 1960s Star Trek
TV series, with the references constituting in-jokes for those familiar with the series.
Noticeable in many animated films
is A113
, a classroom used by graphic design students at CalArts, whose alumni include John Lasseter
and Brad Bird
.
Joke
A joke is a phrase or a paragraph with a humorous twist. It can be in many different forms, such as a question or short story. To achieve this end, jokes may employ irony, sarcasm, word play and other devices...
whose humour
Humour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding. It is an esoteric joke which is humorous only to those who know the situation behind it.
In-jokes may exist within a small social clique, such as a group of friends, or extend to an entire profession such as the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
or professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
industries, or a particular sporting endeavour.
Philosophy
In-jokes are cryptic allusions to shared common groundCommon Ground
Common Ground may refer to:* Common ground * Grounding in communication * The commons, publicly owned areas, especially those for meeting* Common land, ground where the public have traditional rights, such as grazing...
that act as triggers; only those who have shared the common ground provide an appropriate response.
An in-joke works to build community, sometimes at the expense of outsiders. Part of the power of an in-joke is that its audience knows that there are those who do not understand the joke.
An in-joke can also be used as a subtext
Subtext
Subtext or undertone is content of a book, play, musical work, film, video game, or television series which is not announced explicitly by the characters but is implicit or becomes something understood by the observer of the work as the production unfolds. Subtext can also refer to the thoughts...
, where people in the know may find humour with something not explicitly spoken. They may even apologise for doing so to outsiders, directly or indirectly stating that what they were laughing at was an in-joke.
Computer industry
In the computer industry some computer programmers hide in-jokes within the code of software in the form of Easter eggEaster egg (media)
Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
s, i.e., hidden content that can be revealed only by following a specific sequence of inputs.
The Jargon File
Jargon File
The Jargon File is a glossary of computer programmer slang. The original Jargon File was a collection of terms from technical cultures such as the MIT AI Lab, the Stanford AI Lab and others of the old ARPANET AI/LISP/PDP-10 communities, including Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Carnegie Mellon...
is a glossary
Glossary
A glossary, also known as an idioticon, vocabulary, or clavis, is an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms...
of hacker slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
, much of which is in-jokes or is based on in-jokes.
Pop culture
Many TV shows, like The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, insert numerous in-jokes per episode, often referring to other TV shows, movies, or even self-referencing the show itself.
The 2009 movie Star Trek contained multiple references to the 1960s Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
TV series, with the references constituting in-jokes for those familiar with the series.
Noticeable in many animated films
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
is A113
A113
A113 is an inside joke present as an Easter egg in animated films created by alumni of CalArts, referring to the classroom number used by graphic design and character animation students at the school that was used by John Lasseter and Brad Bird among others. Brad Bird first used it for a license...
, a classroom used by graphic design students at CalArts, whose alumni include John Lasseter
John Lasseter
John Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
and Brad Bird
Brad Bird
Phillip Bradley "Brad" Bird is an Academy Award-winning American director, voice actor, animator and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles and Ratatouille . He also adapted and directed the critically acclaimed 2D animated 1999 Warner Brothers...
.
See also
- Mathematical jokeMathematical jokeA mathematical joke is a form of humor which relies on aspects of mathematics or a stereotype of mathematicians to derive humor. The humor may come from a pun, or from a double meaning of a mathematical term. It may also come from a lay person's misunderstanding of a mathematical concept...
- Military humorMilitary humorMilitary humor is humor based on stereotypes of military life. Military humor portrays a wide range of characters and situations in the armed forces...
- Order of the Occult HandOrder of the Occult HandThe Order of the Occult Hand is a whimsical secret society of American journalists who have been able to slip the meaningless and telltale phrase "It was as if an occult hand had…" in print as a sort of a game and inside joke.-History:...
- The GameThe Game (mind game)The Game is a mental game where the objective is to avoid thinking about The Game itself. Thinking about The Game constitutes a loss, which, according to the rules of The Game, must be announced each time it occurs. It is impossible to win most versions of The Game; players can only attempt to...