Logical And Pragmatic Analysis Of Humor

This thesis aims at analyzing the mechanisms of humor from two related aspects oflogic and pragmatic inspired from the interactional between executant and respondent,which is the starting point of this thesis. The analysis will concentrate on those humorproductions in which different perceptions of the utterances results in the dislocationof logic as well as the imperfect pragmatic link under particular circumstances.Chapter one provides a general introduction to this thesis, introducing the aim, theresearch data and method, and the organization.Chapter Two reviews related humor theories including script-based theory,incongruity theory (a linguistic humor theory from a cognitive angle), but centeringround script-based theory. The earliest incongruity theory was introduced byKeith-Speigel, and favored by many scholars. Although the terminologies anddefinitions of "script" vary, this school agrees that script opposition is the crucialcause to humorous effect. They also hold that incongruity alone is not sufficient tocreate humor, but this incongruity must be resolved. And script-based theory waspresented by Raskin and script is defined as information evoked by lexical itemsdescribing well-established routines and common ways to do things. The mainhypothesis of this theory believes that a text can be characterized as a joke if both ofthe following conditions are satisfied :â…°) The text is compatible, fully or in part, withtwo different scripts. â…±) The two scripts with which the text is compatible are said tobe opposite fully or in part in this text. Attardo and Raskin broadened this theory.These broadenings are achieved by the introduction of five other elements that mustbe tapped into when generating a joke, in addition to the script opposition includingthe language, the narrative strategy, the target, the situation and the logicalmechanisms. The review of humor theories lays a sound foundation of case analyses.Chapter three conducts detailed analysis of some typical cases. Logic andpragmatics are two correlated aspects of language in use. They related closely to eachother. This thesis focuses on the incongruity-based humor caused by the violation ofthe four basic logic laws including the Law of Identity, the Law of Non-contradiction,the Law of Excluded Middle, and the Law of Ample Reasons. The alteration ofintention and the extension, paradox, equivocality are the common logicaldislocations. Also the unreal premises or unlikelihood together with false-inferencingare other common mistakes in terms of not following the above laws. All thesedivergence creates an inconsistence from our real life. The failure of the originalexpectation together with the realizing of the fact that humor is to amuse draws us in.Meanwhile, humor depends on the particular context. The knowledge of context canbe divided into three parts: the appraisement from physical context, what has beensaid, and the background knowledge and the shared knowledge. Here sharedknowledge is the major concern to cause script opposition. Deliberately orunconsciously violation of the Cooperative Principle with under it Quantity, Quality,Relevant, and Manner Maxim can bring about implicature, and the resultingmisinterpretations can be potential causes of humor.Chapter four covers a general summary of the thesis, points out the theoretical aswell as the practical significance of the thesis, and possible work to do in the future onthe path of logical and pragmatic analysis of humor.