A Pragmatic Analysis of Verbal Humor

A Pragmatic Analysis of Verbal Humor毛亚旭，屠瑙芳(郑州大学升达经贸管理学院，河南新郑451191)Abstract: Humor is an an, which plays an important role in life. The producion of humour not only has is lnguisic intemal rules butalbo is inextricably connccted with special context and pragmnatic principle. There are many sources of bumour, among which pagmatics holdsan important part. The aricle will analyze humor from the theonies of pragmatics, especially the cooperative principle.Key words: verbal hunor; copeative pincipl; prgnatic theoryI Introductionphonological ralizaion of the lexical items. People ae able t如The advantage of studyjing language via pragmatics is that one can understand this type of humor relying on general experience andtalk about people’8 intended meaning, their asumpions, their knowledge. While hunor created by language, in addition to beingpurposes of goals, and the kinds of actions that they are performingbased on the meaning of the elements of the texn, makes reference towhen they speak(Yule 1996:4). So to analye humor form a pragmaticthe phonological realization of the text. Language created humor uscsperspective can help u understanding humor more profoundly. In this language elecments including phonetic, lexical, grammar in an unusualessay, the writer will apply a basic pragmatic theory- -the Cooperativeand creative way, like play on sounds, words, syntax,etc.Principle- to the analyais of verbal humor.C. Some Examples and the Relative Analysis1. Language exressed HumorA. Cooperative Principle(1) Here is a casic joke: A boastful Amerian from Texas wasThe Cooperative Principle was first presented by HP. Grice in being shown the sights of London by a taxi- driver.“what' s that1967 in his well- known Wlliam James lectures. It can be expressed as bilding there?”asked the Texan.fllows: make your contibution such品s is roquired, a the stage at"That’B the Tower of London, sir." Replied the driver.which it occurs, by the accepted purpoe or direction of the talk"Say, we can put up buildings like that in two weks." drawledexchange in which you are enged(Grice, 1975). Grice furtherthe Texan.subdivides this general principle into four maxims:later, he said“And what’8 that building we' e passingThe maxim of Qualitynow?"Try to make your cotibution one that is true, seically:“That' s Buckingham Palace, sir, where the Qucen lives."1.Do not say what you believe to be false.“Is that so?”said the Texan. "Do you know back in Texas we2.Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence.could put up a place like that in a week?"The maxim of QuanityLater, they were passing Westminster Abby. The American again1.Make your contribution as infomative as required( for the asked, “Hey, cabby, what' 8 that building over there?"current pupose of the exchange).“I am afraid Idon' t know, sir," replied the taxi diver“ht2.Do not make your contribution more informative than is wasn’ t there this moming"required.Hyperbole is uwsed in the above joke. Fom the pragmatic point ofThe maxim of Relevanceview, hyperbole is the flouting of the maxim of quality. In thisMake your contributions relevantconversation, the taxi-driver flouts the maxim of quality- do not sayThe maxim of Mannerwhat you believe to be fale.Be perspicuous, and seially: .(2) Another example: After going on a diet, a woman felt relly1Avoid obeurity.god about herself- especially when she was able to ft into a pair of2.Avoid ambiguity.jeans .3.Be brief.“Look，lok.”" she souted. “I can wear my old jeans4.Be orderly. Grice believes that people can communcate again.”eftcientlyl if they obeere the principles stictly. However, in reality,Her busband loked at her for a long time, when said,that does not mean that the maxims can not be violated. Instead,"Honey, love you, but these are my jeans.”The woman felespeakers can violate the principles on purpose for some reason or very proud that ahe can ft into a pair of jeans that she has outgrownspecial need. Humor is one result of violating the principles.long ago. But her husband violatcas the maxim of quantity and providesB. Cassiftcationo of Verbal Humorunexpected and suplus infomation. It not only rllects the wisdom ofIn order to better faitate the analysis of verbal humor, it will bethe husba中国煤化工ase but alo bringfurther subategorized bhere into more detailed ones acording to Heni us pleasur:YHCNMHG.Bergson' S easfication of humor.(3) Here isa cneseexampie:Humor expressed by language is based exclusively on the一位教授对一.名智力早熟的小男孩说:“你的生 日是那一meaning of the text and does not make any reference to the天的?”104方教叔学2011. 05答:“4月8日。小明回答:“老师我知道， 有米。教授说:“哪一年?”“很好"老师说:“你们还有谁知道。回答:“每一年。"小刚说:“我知道， 除了米还有菜。”The answer of this smart child has no problem. Because everyoneThis humorous ffeet is caused by the hononymfidentical soundswill have his or her own birthday every year. But the professor wants anand sling), In chinese,' "米 ”can be a lengh unit, or meansspecife answer. So, the child' s answer violale the maxim of quantityHis angwer contains ambiguity and violate the maxim ofand provides less information than the profesor wants.manner, thus produces humorous ffeet.(4)“A husband lives adog' slife." said Mr. Alen.(3) If the speaker plays on words, humor will be creatd. For“Tha’s right," agreed Mrs. Allen.“He growls all day and example:snores alll might."妈妈:“这次考外语, 奇奇考了85分，你考了多少?”The above joke is a sample of metaphor, which is an implied孩子:“我比他多 一点。comparison. Metaphor is certainly not a fihflly description of the妈妈: *86分吗? "true slate of the real world, so it is also a violation of the maxim of孩子:“不是， 是8.5分。quality. The wifle knows that“dog' s lie”" intended by her husbandIn chinese,“多- -点” can mean "a litle more than”or "ameans a miserable and inhuman life, but she cleverly transplants the dot more than" . Here, the child plays on words and violate the maximof manner and quantity, provides less infomation than the mouher2. language- created Humor Sometimes speakers play on sounds,. needs, and gives an ambiguous answer, thus leading the mother’swords, syntax,ctc. will violate a certain maxim and creat a humorous misundenstanding and fnally humorous ffeet is created.efece, thus bring us great pleasure.(4)一家人坐在电视机前看电视，内容是某国外城市山雨爆(1) On Sunday, a woman and her young son,“Reid" ，were发。browsing in a large book store. Engrossed in making a sletion, she爸爸:今年的气候不好，看这洪水多凶猛啊!had lost sight of her child. "Reid!" she alled out, "Reid!" justas儿子:爸爸，你说的不对，这是白水!she spotted the boy, she bumped into anoher customer. "Pardon me,The son’s answer unintentionally plays on sound. In chinese,Ma’am?”he said, “ but mos' foks come here just because they'“洪” and “红” (means' "red" ) are homophones (identical soundsalready like to read. No sense in wasting your time tying to convince but diferent selling).“洪水” means “ food”" . whereas“红them."水”means' red water”. Thus, he violates the maxim of manner.This humor violates the maxim of manner by using ambiguous(5) Another example that the speaker plays on words and causesexpressions.“Reid” and‘ read” are homophones.humorous efe because violating the maxim of manner.(2) Similarly, in chinese, there are also such kind of jokes, For父亲:“刚开学考试， 你怎么就得了个'0' 分?”example:儿子:“老师说, 我们切都要从‘0'开始。-天上课，老师问大家: “你们谁知道长度单位有哪In chinse,“从零开 始”means that doing something from the些?"very beginning and have a new start. The son plays on words andmakes an excuse for himself of gtting zero in exam. Thus, thehumorous efee is created because the ambiguous meaning of zero andthe son' s vilaing the maxim of manner.II ConcusionThis essay tries to analyse verbal humor from a pragmatic point ofview, seifallyl with Grice' s Cooperative Principle. In the processof analysing, in order to be clear, cassifies verbal humor acording toHenri Bengon' s lassficatin. With many examples from Englishand Chinese, this esay analyses how humorous ef is ecreated byviolaing the maxims of the Cooperative Prineiple intentionally orunintentionally.BIBLIOGRAPHY[1] Bergon, Hienmn. Laughte, Fsay on the Meaning of dhe Comi. New York:Mamilan中国煤化工、[2]Morgan, Jledx) SmxYHCNMHG5.[31 Yul, (ieongs. Pragnuatic. (xtort: Uncord Unvenity Pes1996.2011.05东京文学| 105