言语幽默的三重语境及其语用功能的分析及启示 ——从《读者文摘》取例

论文摘要

言语幽默是社会生活的言语现象,是人类智慧的结晶。对其的研究涉及语言学、生理学、心理学、哲学、美学、社会学等。较早研究这一言语现象的学者提出三种论点,即优越论、释放论和乖讹论三者,研究均以言语者为本位,揭示了言语幽默的生发成因。现代语言学则从认知语义学、社会语用学和功能语言学的角度对言语幽默进行了研究,为言语幽默的研究拓展了途径。Raskin提出了言语幽默的语义脚本理论及其转换机制,以此分析幽默的语义生成原理。国内学者对言语幽默的生成原理和认知解读进行了研究,认为言语幽默的生成与理解要么从违背合作原则去解释,要么从言外行为的意义去考查,要么则运用语义关联进行分析。本研究认为：言语幽默的生成和理解应是依附语境的,其语用功能的产生离不开语境。依此认识,本研究从美国Reader’s Digest中取例,以语用功能观分析所取语例的三重语境：语言语境(指语篇构成的内部语境,包含语音、词汇、句子结构等语言因素构成的语境)、情景语境(指语境意义由言语发生的时间、地点、交际双方的地位与关系、事件等的不同而生发的语境)和文化语境(指言语发生时可与之联系的历史文化背景,包含社会习俗、生活常规、价值观、文化观等因素的联接而生发的语境),从而解释语境在言语幽默的生成与理解中的作用,并论证其语用功能。本研究通过语例的分析论证认为：1)言语幽默具特定的文本规律,尤具多重语境,这些语境并行运作,互为联系；2)言语幽默的使用具明确的目的,言语达到幽默效果部分基于言说者的语言水平、价值取向和通识知识的综合能力等,而此中存在同类言语幽默对不同受话者产生差异性语境和语用效果；3)中国英语学习者对西方言语幽默的理解存在语言与文化的距离,对理解具负面作用。言语幽默的语用功能则为：化解不良情绪,创造轻松心境；实现批评和自我防御；清除心理隔阂,拉近交际双方的心理距离；缓解生活矛盾,建立良好的人际关系。基于言语幽默的语用功能,本研究论述了在英语作为外语课堂教学中运用言语幽默的可行性；结合言语幽默的三重语境构成,作出了言语幽默运用于词汇和文化教学的探讨。

论文目录

• 摘要
• Abstract
• Introduction
• 0.1 Purposes of This Study
• 0.2 Significance of This Study
• 0.3 Layout of the Thesis
• 0.4 Sources of Corpus
• Chapter 1 Literature Review
• 1.1 Definitions of Humor and Verbal Humor
• 1.2 Traditional Views of Humor:Superiority Theory,Release Theory,and Incongruity Theory
• 1.3 Linguistic Studies of Verbal Humor
• 1.3.1 Studies under Semantic Script Theory of Humor
• 1.3.2 Studies under Cooperative Principle
• 1.3.3 Studies under Speech Act Theory
• 1.3.4 Studies under Relevance Theory
• 1.3.5 Implications from the Above Studies
• Chapter 2 Threefold Context of Verbal Humor
• 2.1 Context and Its Classification
• 2.1.1 Definitions of Context
• 2.1.2 Classification of Context
• 2.2 Constitution of Verbal Humor's Contexts
• 2.2.1 Linguistic Context of Verbal Humor
• 2.2.2 Situational Context of Verbal Humor
• 2.2.3 Cultural Context of Verbal Humor
• 2.2.4 Interaction of Threefold Context in Verbal Humor
• Chapter 3 Pragmatic Functions of Verbal Humor
• 3.1 Verbal Humor as a Strategy of Resilience
• 3.2 Verbal Humor as a Way of Criticism
• 3.3 Verbal Humor as a Defense Mechanism
• 3.4 Verbal Humor as a Tool of Reconciling Conflict
• 3.5 Verbal Humor's Pragmatic Functions and Its Threefold Context
• Chapter 4 Implication for Utilizing Verbal Humor in English Teaching
• 4.1 Significance of Incorporating Verbal Humor in English Teaching
• 4.1.1 Activating Classroom Atmosphere
• 4.1.2 Inspiring Students' Interests
• 4.1.3 Establishing a Friendly Teacher-Student Relation
• 4.2 Ways of Incorporating Verbal Humor in English Teaching
• 4.2.1 Verbal Humor's Linguistic Context and Vocabulary Teaching
• 4.2.2 Verbal Humor's Cultural Context and Culture Teaching
• 4.2.3 Verbal Humor's Situational Context in Vocabulary and Culture Teaching
• Conclusion
• Works Cited
• Acknowledgements
• Appendix A Verbal Humor Discourses from Reader's Digest in 2009
• Informative Chinese Abstract
• Resume and Publications since Entering the Program