| Based on the Frame-shifting Theory, the author aims to give a rational explanation for the generation and interpretation of humor in 2 Broke Girls. During the analysis process, the author abstracts several episodes of 2 Broke Girls, adopts the qualitative method and analyzes the humorous dialogues in the light of disjunctors and connectors, typical situations, default values, reinterpretation, goal presupposition and nonconventional meaning respectively. The author tries to sum up the analytic model into three steps: activation of initial frame, getting new information, frame-shifting and humor-appreciating.Through the detailed analysis of humor from the perspective of frame-shifting, the major findings are concluded as follows:(1) As a typical American situation comedy, humor is utilized by 2 Broke Girls as a literary style. There is a wide range of humorous dialogues in 2 Broke Girls, which contributes to its success in attracting a large number of audiences. Besides, the characters in 2 Broke Girls possessing various comical features make it successful and become one of the audiences' favorite sitcom. In addition, the dialogues in 2 Broke Girls are terse, classic, and perfect. The plot of the story and the characters are shaped in a short period of time containing a deeper moral. With all these factors combined together, it is no wonder that 2 Broke Girls win people' love and gain great achievements.(2) This study provides a dynamic process of generation and comprehension of the humor in 2 Broke Girls from six perspectives, namely, disjunctors and connectors, typical situations, default values, reinterpretation, goal presupposition and nonconventional meaning. In the first type, when there is a striking contrast between the disjunctor and connector, a new frame occurs resulting in humor. In the second type, when detailed information runs counter to typical situations, the audience will accordingly transform the conventional frame into a new one, and thus humor occurs. In the third type, when commonly encountered or stereotyped situations are covered with totally different information, the frame-shifting occurs resulting in humor. In the fourth type, when the linguistic data is analyzed in a novel way instead of the normal thinking pattern, a new frame occurs resulting in humor. In the fifth type, when the interactive goals of the speakers are taken into consideration during the conversation, quite different interpretations will be obtained, which leads to the achievement of humor effects. In the sixth type, when a conventional perspective is abandoned and instead the nonconventional meaning which runs counter to the audience's expectation is highlighted during the process of interpreting the meaning of linguistic units, a new frame is formed along with humor.(3) In order to better comprehend humor in similar sitcom, some suggestions gained from the generation and interpretation of humor in 2 Broke Girls are made as follows: First and foremost, a good state of mind is a prerequisite. There is no doubt that a man who lacks of optimistic attitude towards life can not appreciate humor as far as possible. Besides, we should enrich our mind with adequate frame knowledge so that we can understand humor with ease. By the analysis of humor in 2 Broke Girls, it comes to light that people can not understand the humor successfully is because of difficulties in activating new frames or eliminating the incongruity between the initial frame and the new one. Therefore, in order to improve one's ability in appreciating humor, it is very necessary to broaden one's frame knowledge.This study not only versifies that Frame-shifting Theory can be used as an effective tool to analyze 2 Broke Girls but also opens up a fresh avenue for scholars to study and analyze the humorous works. |
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