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What is the difference between a hoax vs a joke?
The term “hoax” means to deceive someone by making them believe something which has been maliciously or mischievously fabricated.
A joke is something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness. It’s something said or done for amusement rather than seriously. A joke is an amusing story, something said to cause laughter and not to be taken seriously.
English philologist and author, Robert Nares simply defines the term “hoax” as “to cheat”.
Jokes are meant for amusement and laughter, while a “hoax” is an act which is deliberately performed to get the public attention to believe fabricated stories and not facts.
What Is the Meaning of Hoax?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a hoax is anything deliberately intended to deceive or trick. It’s the act of deceiving someone by making them believe something which has been mischievously fabricated.
A hoax is a publicized falsehood intended to deceive the greatest number of people of various social identities. A hoax solely relies on deception, to propose falsehood to the public.
A simple definition of the term “hoax” by English author and philologist, Robert Nares is “to cheat”.
A hoax is a purposely fabricated falsehood with the intent to deceive someone in believing in something which has been maliciously fabricated.
Some people may see a few hoaxes as fun and pleasant. These fun and pleasant hoaxes are in the category of pranks, unlike the act intended to deliberately deceive the public into believing in something fabricated.
A hoax is usually made to gain something out of the act. It’s often made to take advantage of the hoaxed person or party, to gain financial benefits through deception.
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Etymology
According to English philologist and author Robert Nares, the term “hoax” was created in the late 18th century as a contraction of the word “hocus”, meaning “to cheat” “to impose upon” or “to perpetrate a trick or hoax on”.
What Is a Joke?
The term “joke” refers to an amusing story or something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness. As an intransitive verb, the term “joke” means to do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
The word “joke” also means to make merry with, to make jokes upon, to rally.
A joke is not meant to be taken seriously. It’s a display of humour that involves using words within a specific narrative structure to amuse people.
A joke often takes the form of a story, normally with dialogue and ends in a meaningful punch line. It can also be in the form of a short story, a funny display, and so on.
Jokes are told to make people laugh but it shouldn’t be taken seriously. Telling jokes is a form of entertainment that aims to amuse everyone with stories.
In general, jokes are not told by comedians, friends share jokes amongst themselves sometimes through chat messages. A joke can be verbal, written, or practical, and the intent is not to offend anyone and it shouldn’t be taken seriously.
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Hoax vs Joke: Key Differences between a Hoax and a Joke
The difference between a hoax and a joke is that the former intends to publicize falsehood, while the latter is meant to amuse people and not to be taken seriously.
A hoax is a publicized falsehood intended to deceive the greatest number of people of various social identities. A hoax solely relies on deception, to propose falsehood to the public.
In contrast, a joke refers to an amusing story or something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
A joke often takes the form of a story, normally with dialogue and ends in a meaningful punch line. It can also be in the form of a short story, a funny display, and so on.
The intent behind a hoax is not just about deception but to manipulate and provoke a reaction.
A hoax is usually made for the purpose of gaining something out of the act. It’s often made to take advantage of the hoaxed person or party, to gain financial benefits through deception.
It’s also sometimes proposed for personal gain or to highlight an issue. In general, a hoax can lead to public confusion and panic.
Jokes are told to make people laugh but it shouldn’t be taken seriously. Telling jokes is a form of entertainment that aims to amuse everyone with stories.
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Hoax vs Joke: Comparison Chart
| Hoax | Joke | |
| Meaning | A publicized falsehood intended to deceive the greatest number of people of various social identities | An amusing story or something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness. |
| Intent | To deceive or mislead the public | To amuse or entertain |
| Consequence | A hoax can cause harm or spread misinformation | Generally harmless |
| Scope | Can affect a wide audience | Usually shared in a limited context |
| Duration | May last for an extended period | Immediate, with short-term impact |
| Reception | Often leads to distrust once revealed | Enhances social interaction if well-received |
Hoax vs Joke: Examples of Sentences with the terms “Hoax” and “Joke”
Let’s look at a few examples of sentences with the terms “hoax” and “joke”.
Simple Sentences with Hoax
- In all his press conferences and interviews, the president also says the virus is a hoax.
- In the early 20th century, a cruel hoax was widely played on the public.
- The committee believed that the whole story was nothing but a hoax.
- People initially believed the story, only to find out that it was a hoax.
- The emergency call was nothing but a hoax made by a bunch of teenagers.
- You could see the disappointment on their faces after they found out the bomb threat was a hoax.
- The issue of climate change is often seen as a hoax and not taken seriously.
- The major describes the deception as a cruel hoax.
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Simple Sentences with Joke
- My supervisor loves telling a few jokes before giving a pep talk.
- Is that a joke, because am been serious right now?
- The students were all making a joke out of the whole thing.
- His jokes had the whole class laughing for several minutes.
- I’m not joking, you need to come with me right away.
- Our teacher tells the same joke over and over again.
- He felt his jokes were funny enough to thrill the audience.
- His jokes were boring, but the audience applauded his effort.
Conclusion
The difference between a hoax and a joke is that the former intends to publicize falsehood, while the latter is meant to amuse people and not to be taken seriously.
A hoax is a purposely fabricated falsehood with the intent to deceive someone in believing in something which has been maliciously fabricated.
A joke often takes the form of a story, normally with dialogue and ends in a meaningful punch line. It can also be in the form of a short story, a funny display, and so on.
