The Role Of Frame-Shifting And Conceptual Blending In Humorous Discourse Analysis

This thesis makes a preliminary attempt to apply cognitive linguistic theories to humorous discourse analysis. Specifically, this thesis applies frame-shifting theory and conceptual blending theory to joke analysis in an effort to explore the mechanism of jokes from a cognitive perspective. This research also takes into account the particular background knowledge and contextual information that jokes involve, together with the interactive goals necessary in the interpretation of jokes.Through an extensive study into jokes from the perspectives of frame-shifting and conceptual blending, the current research reaches a conclusion that frame-shifting and conceptual blending play an essential role in representing the meaning construction processes of jokes. Frame-shifting theory appears to explain adequately the triggers of semantic reinterpretation of on-line jokes, while conceptual blending theory seems to apply neatly to jokes involving concepts from different domains.The application of the above cognitive linguistic theories to joke analysis entails dual meanings. Firstly, applying the cognitive linguistic theories to joke analysis can achieve a better representation of the meaning construction processes of jokes, hence arriving at a more in-depth understanding of the mechanism of jokes and facilitating the comprehension and appreciation of jokes. Secondly, applying the cognitive linguistic theories to analyzing natural-language discourses can provide a general examination of the explanatory power of these theories, with an effort to find their strengths and weaknesses in analyzing real-world discourses and further to reinforce the strengths and improve the weaknesses for better explanatory adequacy.