Teasing Humor and Identity Construction in Business Meetings at a Korean Startup

Jeongyeon Kim (김정연); Choi Jinsook (최진숙)

doi:10.14353/sjk.2020.28.3.05

Teasing Humor and Identity Construction in Business Meetings at a Korean Startup

The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea
Abbr : 사회언어학
2020, 28(3), pp.139~171
DOI : 10.14353/sjk.2020.28.3.05
Publisher : The Sociolinguistic Society Of Korea
Research Area : Humanities > Linguistics
Received : July 31, 2020
Accepted : September 4, 2020
Published : September 30, 2020

Jeongyeon Kim ¹, Choi Jinsook ²

¹울산과학기술원
²울산과학기술대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study examines the interactional dynamics revealed through teasing humor in the context of a startup business meeting. Using a quasi-conversation analytic approach to details of talk, as well as ethnographic information concerning the community of practice, this study aims to illuminate the construction of professional identities shown in members' participation in teasing humor. The dataset consists of three video-recorded weekly business meetings of a startup (210 minutes) and a supplementary interview and observation notes. The analyses show that, in this business context, the members' identities (e.g., the CEO, the co-founders versus non-co-founders) were revealed in the dynamics of participation in teasing humor. Teasing humor was also found to contribute to finding creative solutions to challenging issues under discussion. The non-co-founders, in particular, found opportunities to participate in the major business discourse through this teasing. By participating in the teasing segments, they were able to present themselves as legitimate members of the startup. The findings are discussed to highlight the sociolinguistic norms of a professional community in creating a constructive business culture.

KEYWORDS

Teasing Humor, Identity, Participation, Business Meeting, Startup

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

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The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.57

Teasing Humor and Identity Construction in Business Meetings at a Korean Startup

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* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.57

Teasing Humor and Identity Construction in Business Meetings at a Korean Startup

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KEYWORDS

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