EDITOR'S FOREWORD

Abstract

In the inaugural issue of the Journal of Humanities, I would like to congratulate the authors and academics of Georgia on its publication.

The articles in the journal's first issue showcase a broad spectrum of linguistic research, unified by their focus on language structure, meaning, discourse practices, and language learning. Collectively, they demonstrate how linguistic phenomena manifest across humour, political interaction, grammar, literature, and foreign-language teaching.

The article by Meri Giorgiadze examines pun-based one-liner jokes derived from the bible, analysing how linguistic ambiguity, cultural knowledge, and humour theories intersect to create wordplay. Employing descriptive and qualitative methods, this study categorises 12 puns according to the incongruity, superiority, and relief theories, concluding that biblical one-liners rely heavily on semantic ambiguity, supported by culturally significant and familiar narratives. This combination of linguistic and cognitive mechanisms effectively explains the enduring appeal of biblical impact in contemporary contexts.

The article by Mariam Nebieridze explores bracket signals in talk-show discourse, focusing on verbal, nonverbal, and paraverbal cues that indicate a departure from a speaker’s primary communicative intention. By analysing naturally occurring interactions, Dr Nebieridze identifies categories of bracket signals initiated either by the speaker or external triggers. She further classifies them by their communicative function—such as clarification, repair, or emotional expression. The findings provide a deep understanding of how conversational alignment is managed moment to moment, emphasising the co-construction of meaning in social interaction.

 Nana Giluari explores impoliteness strategies in Georgian parliamentary debate, employing a multidisciplinary approach combining critical discourse analysis, conversation analysis, and theories of politeness and face. Based on a 2012 four-hour parliamentary session, the study documents frequent use of insults, accusations, interruptions, and mocking remarks, often intensified by nonverbal cues. The analysis demonstrates how face-threatening acts serve the purposes of political persuasion, emotional expression, and ideological positioning, thereby demonstrating impoliteness as a strategic, socially embedded resource in political communication.

The article by Nato Akhalaia explores Medio-Active verb forms in Megrelian and Laz, tracing their structural and semantic characteristics within the broader Kartvelian language family. Drawing on over 400 verb forms collected through fieldwork, this research employs descriptive and comparative methods to investigate how these forms function in the Active and Passive voices. The results highlight shared and divergent patterns across Megrelian, Laz, and Georgian, contributing to an understanding of voice systems, argument structure, and typological variation within Kartvelian linguistics.

Another study exploring synesthetic metaphors is Rusudan Japaridze's, which draws on W. B. Yeats’s poetry and CMT to analyse 15 instances of sensory blending in selected poems. This paper identifies visual–tactile metaphors as the most prevalent in Yeats’s symbolic poetics, which depend on layered sensory associations influenced by cultural and historical contexts. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, the article demonstrates how synesthetic metaphors function cognitively and aesthetically to enrich the reader’s interpretive experience.

The article by Khatuna Kumelashvili discusses how technology can assist foreign-language teaching, focusing on the virtual classroom platform Edmodo. Effective use of technological tools demands thoughtful integration into lessons. Edmodo supports classroom management, communication, and collaboration, making learning more flexible both online and in traditional settings. It is believed that Edmodo can streamline tasks, increase engagement, and promote cooperation, but further research is needed on its real-world effectiveness. Introducing the platform early also helps students build digital citizenship, communication skills, and responsible online behaviour.