Cuando el anglicismo humour se fue imponiendo entre los usos lingüísticos, Juan Valera reaccionó apostando por el concepto de lo risible, al margen del subjetivismo romántico y de sus estados anímicos. Defendió la tradición de la risa en España y su humana naturaleza: como crítico desde sus lecturas idealistas del Quijote, como escritor persiguiendo la amenidad y el divertimento, como etnólogo o folklorista, preocupado por salvaguardar el patrimonio oral de lo risible.
When the Anglicism humor became increasingly prevalent in linguistic usage, Juan Valera reacted by embracing the concept of the laughable, setting aside romantic subjectivism and its moods. When the Anglicism humor became increasingly prevalent in linguistic usage, Juan Valera reacted by embracing the concept of the laughable, setting aside romantic subjectivism and its moods. He defended the tradition of laughter in Spain and its human nature: as a critic from his idealistic readings of Don Quixote, as a writer pursuing amusement and entertainment, as an ethnologist or folklorist, concerned with safeguarding the oral heritage of laughter.