In-Joke: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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{{trope}}
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{{quote|''"And one thing I've found, is that every good [[Road Trip]] needs a good inside joke that only the people who'' went ''on the road trip will get. And your friends who'' didn't ''go on the road trip will want to... kill your legs... every time you bring it up."''|'''[[Homestar Runner (Web Animation)|Strong Bad]]''', [http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail156.html "Road Trip"]}}
{{quote|''"And one thing I've found, is that every good [[Road Trip]] needs a good inside joke that only the people who'' went ''on the road trip will get. And your friends who'' didn't ''go on the road trip will want to... kill your legs... every time you bring it up."''|'''[[Homestar Runner|Strong Bad]]''', [http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail156.html "Road Trip"]}}


There are some jokes almost anyone can get, and then there are ones that can only be understood by people with certain knowledge. Jokes about computer programming that can only be understood by technicians, jokes about a [[Film]] that only make sense if you listened to the director's commentary, jokes about a country's political system or culture that only citizens of that place could ever laugh at. If you are in on the joke, these can be hilarious; if you aren't, then they get irritating fast.
There are some jokes almost anyone can get, and then there are ones that can only be understood by people with certain knowledge. Jokes about computer programming that can only be understood by technicians, jokes about a [[Film]] that only make sense if you listened to the director's commentary, jokes about a country's political system or culture that only citizens of that place could ever laugh at. If you are in on the joke, these can be hilarious; if you aren't, then they get irritating fast.


From a sociological point of view, in-jokes are used by groups to identify those who are Not Us -- anyone who's not a member of the group is not likely to get the joke.
From a sociological point of view, in-jokes are used by groups to identify those who are Not Us—anyone who's not a member of the group is not likely to get the joke.


If these are frequently placed in a show or book, then it can become a case of [[Viewers Are Geniuses]], or if they are language related, [[Bilingual Bonus]]. [[Fandom|Fandoms]] are often teeming with them, so seeing a certain one everywhere may be a result of [[Fan Myopia]]. In some cases, may even lead to [[Memetic Mutation]].
If these are frequently placed in a show or book, then it can become a case of [[Viewers Are Geniuses]], or if they are language related, [[Bilingual Bonus]]. [[Fandom]]s are often teeming with them, so seeing a certain one everywhere may be a result of [[Fan Myopia]]. In some cases, may even lead to [[Memetic Mutation]].


An [[Outside Joke]] relies on an opposite effect.
An [[Outside Joke]] relies on an opposite effect.


Not to be confused with the [[Web Comic]] ''[[The in Joke (Webcomic)|The in Joke]]''.
Not to be confused with the [[Web Comic]] ''[[The In Joke]]''.


=== [[Sub Trope|Subtropes]]: ===
== [[Sub-Trope|Subtropes]] ==


* [[Bilingual Bonus]]
* [[Bilingual Bonus]]
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** [[Contractual Gag]]
** [[Contractual Gag]]
** [[Running Gagged]]
** [[Running Gagged]]
* [[Shout Out]]
* [[Shout-Out]]


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Meta Concepts]]
[[Category:Meta Concepts]]
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:Index]]
[[Category:In Joke]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Trope]]

Latest revision as of 15:40, 4 May 2020

"And one thing I've found, is that every good Road Trip needs a good inside joke that only the people who went on the road trip will get. And your friends who didn't go on the road trip will want to... kill your legs... every time you bring it up."

There are some jokes almost anyone can get, and then there are ones that can only be understood by people with certain knowledge. Jokes about computer programming that can only be understood by technicians, jokes about a Film that only make sense if you listened to the director's commentary, jokes about a country's political system or culture that only citizens of that place could ever laugh at. If you are in on the joke, these can be hilarious; if you aren't, then they get irritating fast.

From a sociological point of view, in-jokes are used by groups to identify those who are Not Us—anyone who's not a member of the group is not likely to get the joke.

If these are frequently placed in a show or book, then it can become a case of Viewers Are Geniuses, or if they are language related, Bilingual Bonus. Fandoms are often teeming with them, so seeing a certain one everywhere may be a result of Fan Myopia. In some cases, may even lead to Memetic Mutation.

An Outside Joke relies on an opposite effect.

Not to be confused with the Web Comic The In Joke.

Subtropes