original context

[bosun]

What does it mean by 'original context of laughter" in the following sentence?Also, what does it mean by
tikling oneself...... its social significance?

Tickling must be the original context of laughter and the fact that tickling oneself if notoriously ineffective confirms its social significane.

 

[oregeezer]

Need more to be sure.
Sounds as if the author believes that laughter was 'discovered' when someone tickled someone else (a baby?). It is impossible to tickle yourself - if I tickle the bottom of my own feet it will give me a funny feeling - but I will not laugh.