incongruity
Meaning: The state of being incongruous; a lack of harmony or compatibility between things that are placed together.
Incongruity describes the jarring effect when elements that do not belong together are combined — a formal dinner in a beach hut, a child's toy on a boardroom table. It is central to theories of humour (the 'incongruity theory' holds that we laugh at unexpected juxtapositions) and is frequently used in literary and cultural criticism. The adjective form 'incongruous' is more common in everyday usage.
Examples
- The incongruity of a medieval castle next to a motorway service station amused passing travellers. 一座中世纪城堡紧挨着高速公路服务区,这种不协调让过往的旅客感到好笑。La incongruencia de un castillo medieval junto a un área de servicio de autopista divertía a los viajeros que pasaban.中世の城が高速道路のサービスエリアの隣にあるという不調和さが、通りかかる旅行者を楽しませた。중세 성이 고속도로 휴게소 바로 옆에 있다는 부조화가 지나가는 여행자들을 즐겁게 했다.
- Comedians often exploit the incongruity between expectation and reality to generate laughter. 喜剧演员经常利用期望与现实之间的反差来引发笑声。Los comediantes suelen explotar la incongruencia entre la expectativa y la realidad para provocar la risa.コメディアンは、期待と現実の間の不調和をよく利用して笑いを生み出す。코미디언들은 기대와 현실 사이의 부조화를 이용하여 웃음을 자주 유발한다.
- There was a certain incongruity in his wearing a three-piece suit to a barbecue. 他穿着三件套西装去参加户外烧烤,这本身就有一种不协调感。Había cierta incongruencia en que llevase un traje de tres piezas a una barbacoa.彼がバーベキューに三つ揃いのスーツを着てきたことには、ある種のちぐはぐさがあった。그가 바비큐에 정장 세 벌 차림으로 온 것에는 일종의 어울리지 않는 느낌이 있었다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, literary, media
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin incongruitas, from incongruus (not congruent, not fitting), from in- (not) and congruere (to come together, agree). The English word dates from the early 17th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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