语用学的角度讲英语幽默

1、本文以会话形式的英语幽默为例，旨在从语用学的角度对英语幽默效果的实现和英语幽默的各种语用特征进行较详细的分析研究。 作为幽默的主要表现形式，幽默语言经常以生活中的会话形式出现，因此幽默语言常常带有鲜明的语用特征。机智的幽默语言总是具有一种或几种语用特征。理解英语幽默的关键在于对隐含意义的理解。在英语幽默中，幽默对话的双方巧妙地运用幽默语言从而产生特定的幽默含义和效果。因此对幽默的研究主要集中在幽默对话双方如何运用语言从而产生幽默效果的。语用学是在特殊语境下对话者如何使用语言进而产生特定意义的研究，因此，语用学对幽默研究具有重要的指导意义和实践意义。 语用学，源于二十世纪六七十年代，以言语行为理

2、论和会话含意理论为两大理论支柱，是语言学的一个分支学科。八十年代，随着C C Levinson 和G . Leech的语用学和语用学原理相继出版，语用学的学科理论体系得以确立。语用学是一种对意义进行系统研究的应用理论，其核心理论是言语行为理论。同时，语用学对意义的研究是在一定的语境中对特定语言的意义的研究。因此语用学对意义的研究离不开对语境诸因素的考虑。在对英语幽默效果的分析过程中，也体现出语境对理解英语幽默的重要性。 本文的研究重点就是英语幽默语言是如何达到幽默效果的，因此分析幽默效果如何实现的过程就是运用语用学的核心理论分析幽默会话双方在特定的语境里如何运用语言产生幽默效果的。首先本文以实

3、例为主，运用上述语用学的重要理论，即合作原则，言语行为理论，语境学，重点分析英语幽默语言特别是会话式幽默效果产生的根源。本文对语用学的这几个理论进行系统的分析，通过具体分析发现这些理论并非独立的理论，而是几个密切联系的系统的理论。文章对它们的内在联系进行了深入的分析。在人们的言语交际中，人们能顺利地进行交流，是因为他们自觉或不自觉地遵守这些原则。因此，合作原则是会话的前提。如果违背了这些原则，话语有时就会产生一种言外之意，幽默性语言就是其中的一种表现形式。言语行为理论是对合作原则的进一步深化。言语行为理论由J. Austin(1962提出，并由J. Searle进一步完善。他们认为，人们在说话

4、时，不仅是在交流信息，也是在完成某种行为，交际双方必须同时具备语言能力和语用能力，方能有效地发出和接受信息，保证这种交际顺利进行。如果两种能力有一种能力欠缺，特别是语用能力欠缺时，对话语理解就会产生误会，信息传递也会随之受阻或走样。许多幽默就是由于信息交流不顺畅而产生的。言语行为理论揭示了人们在对话中是有其具体的意图或目的的，因此它是会话原则的深化。语言交流不是静止的，而是一个处于动态的，不断发展的过程。除了语言知识和生成正确话语的能力，成功的语言交流还需要有在一定时间，地点，场合说出相应地恰当话语的能力，两者的结合体现了一个人的交际能力（Hymes ，1968）。这种能力是语境学研究的重点。

5、树立语境意识对理解英语幽默也很有帮助。缺乏文化语境意识也常常阻碍对英语幽默的正确理解，因此，本文对幽默中存在的文化语境进行归类和分析。最后，文章还对由此产生的幽默效果和语用特点进行了分析。 This thesis is intended for the study of the realization and pragmatic features of English humor from the perspective of Pragmatics. Humorous language, which is the representation of humor, can be seen per

6、vasively in daily life. It originates from life, and appears in the form of conversations; therefore, humorous language bears distinct pragmatic features. At the same time, tactful humorous language is characterized with several pragmatic features. The key to understanding English humor is to unders

7、tand the implied meaning of the humorous language. In English humor, how participants in humorous conversation use the language leads to special humorous meaning and effect. So the study of humor focuses on analyzing how the speakers use the language to produce specific meaning and humorous effect.

8、Pragmatics, which is the study of the use of language within specific context, is instructive and applicable to the study of English humor. Pragmatics, originated from the 60s and the 70s in the twentieth century, in which Speech Act Theory and Conversational Implicature are its major supporting the

9、ories, is a branch of linguistics. In the 80s,with the publication of Pragmatics and Principles in Pragmatics by C.C. Levinson and G. Leech, the systematic pragmatics was finally established. Pragmatics is the study of language meaning with a broader vision, and its key theory is Speech Act Theory.

10、Meanwhile, the study of language meaning is based on the study of specific context. Therefore, the study of language use should take context into account. So context is of vital importance in the process of analyzing English humorous effect. English humor is a special language form, and bears specif

11、ic features, which can be summarized only after the meaning of the humorous language is decoded. The most important aim of this thesis is to study how English humorous effect is realized by the three major supporting theories in Pragmatics. It is a process of applying the key theory in pragmatics to

12、 the use of humorous language in specific context. This thesis discusses the relationship of the three theories. Cooperative Principle is the core of one aspect of pragmatics. Although it has given rise to much controversy, it is still practical, for it provides detailed maxims and sub-maxims, which

13、 makes the analysis of the conversation more persuasive. So comparatively speaking, it is the most effective pragmatic theory for analyzing the realization of humorous effect. The Cooperative Principle contains the rules that people should obey in order to communicate with each other smoothly, and i

14、f people violate these principles, conversation implicature will come into being. Sometimes, humorous language is in the form of conversational implicature. Speech Act Theory believes that conversation doesnt just mean words. In fact, when people say something, the words indicate their action. Meanw

15、hile, the competence of using appropriate words in certain occasion is more important than the knowledge of the language itself. Lacking the competence of using the right words, the speakers will misunderstand each other. Much humor derives from the unsuccessful way to convey information. Communicat

16、ion is a dynamic process, besides linguistic knowledge, time, location, and occasion, successful communicators should know what, when and how to choose appropriate words. This is called communicative competence (Hymes, 1968; therefore, the sense of context is needed in understanding English humor. Culture Context in English humor is another barrier