What literary techniques/devices are used to show humour?
Sarcasm, verbal irony, paradox, and pun are devices sometimes used to show humor. Heck, a simile or metaphor can also establish humor. One of my favorite funny lines from a book is a simile. Somewhere in the “Hitchhiker’s Guide” series, Douglas Adams described a woman failing to fly by saying “She hung in the air exactly as bricks don’t.” Funny stuff, and a simile. On a more simple level, one’s diction (word choice) can be used to create humor. Diction isn’t a device–it’s just part of writing that is crucial in establishing tone, which is why it can relate to humor. Satire and parody, both of which are genres more than they are devices, are often humorous as well. Some satires are more bitter than they are funny, but parodies are nearly always funny, and satires often are, too. Hope this helps!
