question about laughter

[gib65]

You know when you misinterpret the lyrics to a certain song or something someone says, and it sounds absolutely hilarious the way you heard it, but you only laugh after having heard the correct interpretation? Why is that? Why do we laugh only after we've heard the correct interpretation?

 

For example, the other night my wife said "And monkeys might fly out of my butt" but I heard "And Lucas might fly out of my butt" (Lucas is our 1 year old nephew). I knew I didn't hear that right, and I even knew it was funny, but I didn't laugh until I asked "Did you say Lucas might fly out of your butt?" and got the answer "No, monkeys".

 

Another example: That song by Sloan was playing on the radio, the one where they sing "body's covered in coke fizz". Then my wife asked "Are they saying 'Body's covered in goat piss'?" with a straight face. I looked at her strangely and said "No, coke fizz!" Then she laughed.

 

Why do we do that? Why do we only laugh after we've been corrected?

[ecoli]

maybe cause "coke fizz" is as nonsensical as "goat piss"

[gib65]

maybe cause "coke fizz" is as nonsensical as "goat piss"

 

Ha! Could be.

[Phi for All]

Why do we do that? Why do we only laugh after we've been corrected?

Very similar to the thread on why we laugh after almost getting hit by a car. Again, I think it's partly embarrassment, and the body needs a release from the tension of asking a potentially stupid question, so we laugh to cover it up.

[YT2095]

I disagree, and we`ve done the same ourselves here, to US it`s more the mental imagery of the confused part, we often continue from that point and make up even Stranger rhyming words.

 

in fact I get in trouble regularly for twisting the words to my wife`s fave songs, she gets VERY annoyed at me, partly because what I say makes her Laugh when she doesn`t want to