Don Nilsen

Don Lee Fred Nilsen (born October 19, 1934) is an American linguist and humor scholar. He is Professor of Linguistics in the Emeritus College at Arizona State University.[1] He has published extensively on semantics, deep cases, and humor. Together with his wife Alleen Nilsen, Nilsen is co-founder of the International Society for Humor Studies and served as its executive secretary.[2][3] Alongside Alleen Nilsen, he was also Co-President of American Name Society.[4]

Don Lee Fred Nilsen
Don Nilsen (2015)
Born(1934-10-19)October 19, 1934
Palmyra, Utah
NationalityAmerican
Known forFounding the International Society for Humor Studies
TitleProfessor Emeritus
SpouseAlleen Pace Nilsen
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
Thesis (1971)
Academic work
DisciplineLinguist
InstitutionsArizona State University, State University of New York, Oswego, University of Pittsburgh, University of Northern Iowa, Kabul University
Main interestsHumor studies, case grammar
Notable worksEncyclopedia of 20th-Century American Humor
Websitehttp://www.public.asu.edu/~dnilsen/

Work

Don Lee Fred Nilsen was born in 1934 in Palmyra, Utah, United States. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in French from Brigham Young University in 1958, followed by a Master's degree in Linguistics from American University in 1961, and a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Michigan in 1971.[5] Since 1971, he has worked at Arizona State University.[6]

Don Nilsen's areas of interest in English Linguistics include Semantics, Pragmatics, and Discourse Theory. He has a particular interest in sophisticated discourse forms: Double Entendre, Symbolism, Metaphor, Irony, Parody, Paradox, Wit, Symbolism, Humor, Comedy and Tragi-comedy.[7]

Together with his wife Alleen Nilsen, Nilsen founded the International Society for Humor Studies. Nilsen served as executive secretary of the organization until 2005 and is still the organization’s historian.[7] In 2014, the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor named Don and Alleen Nilsen recipients of the Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award for their significant contribution to the understanding and application of humor.[8]

Select bibliography
  • The instrumental case in English: syntactic and semantic considerations (1973) Mouton
  • Language Play: An Introduction to Linguistics (w/ Alleen Nilsen) (1978) Newbury House Publishers
  • Humor in American Literature: A Selected Annotated Bibliography (1992) Routledge
  • Humor in Irish Literature: A Reference Guide (1996) Greenwood Press
  • Humor in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-century British Literature (1998) Greenwood Press
  • Encyclopedia of 20th-century American Humor (w/ Alleen Nilsen) (2000) Oryx Press
  • The Language of Humor: An Introduction (w/ Alleen Nilsen) (2018) Cambridge University Press

References
  1. "Don Nilsen". Arizona State University retirees association. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  2. Milner Davis, Jessica (2006). Understanding humor in Japan. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. pp. ix. ISBN 9780814340912. OCLC 948773882.
  3. Struck, Doug (2000-08-01). "Take My Samurai... Please: Scholars Seek Serious Side of a Light Subject". The Washington Post.
  4. "ANS Presidents, Past and Present | American Name Society". American Name Society. 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  5. Nilsen, Alleen Pace (2012). "Growing Old in a Primitive Culture vs. Growing Old in a Capitalistic Culture". Emeritus Voices. 10.
  6. Gale, Steven (1995). Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese, Volume 1. Taylor & Franci. p. 1245. ISBN 9780824059903.
  7. "Don Nilsen". Arizona State University. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  8. "Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award". Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
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