This book investigates the importance of humour and play in the establishment of individual and group identities among adult language learners on an intensive business English course. The enclosed setting allows the emergent nature of community building and identity projection to be traced, foregrounding the important role of humorous play in these vital social processes. The book will be of interest to students and researchers of applied linguistics, second language acquisition and humour studies.

This book investigates the importance of humour and play in the establishment of individual and group identities among adult language learners on an intensive business English course. The enclosed setting allows the emergent nature of community building and identity projection to be traced, foregrounding the important role of humorous play in these vital social processes. The book will be of interest to students and researchers of applied linguistics, second language acquisition and humour studies.

Stories of the unexpected. A circus brings the Masked Strangler to a small town. Practical jokers get their comeuppance. A chance meeting with a mysterious dog takes a few mysterious turns. An old man turns the tables on two smart alecks. Fishing trips alternate with fun and danger. A storm in the North Pacific makes life exciting for young Marines on board a troopship heading for Okinawa. A1966 clash within the Vietnamese army brings confusion and tension for Marines in DaNang. A peaceful float trip turns into a fight for survival in a flash flood. An elderly Ursuline Sister spins a tale of emigrant life in Chicago. A young man finds that his guardian angel can't always protect him in a summer job at a steel plant. How do chickens get to market, and what if turkeys figure things out? A deer and a would-be-rescuer come to an understanding. Two friends discover the virtue of knowing the phase of the moon. And more stories of fun, fear, and folly.