Banter and Philosophy of Language

Banter is not a prominent topic in contemporary Philosophy of Language, possibly because its content is light.  But, for precisely that reason, it can be distinctively instructive--in it, the Form of Language is therefore highlighted.  For, the ultimate purpose of Banter is interpersonal socializing, i. e. it is conversation for the sake of conversation.  Accordingly, each Utterance involved is, at bottom, a Signal seeking another Utterance as its Response, thereby expressing a respect for the Form of the activity that Kant might admire.  Hence, in general, the function of Language as coordinating social interplay is laid  bare in Banter.  Now, Banter is no mere eccentric Language-Game; rather, it is the fundamental stratum of all other Language-Games, in the way that the physiological processes that are exercised in a gym work-out underlie purposeful exertions.  Accordingly, far from being Philosophically insignificant, Banter can redirect the attention of the Philosophy of Language from its usual object, the Language-World relation, to the interpersonal Communication that is the context of that relation.  Indeed, the examination of Banter by Philosophy of Language might be like holding up a mirror, since the latter often seems to be no more than a species of the former.