The Linguistic Analysis of Jokes

by Ritchie,Graeme

• ISBN13: 9780415309837
• ISBN10: 0415309832
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-12-03
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book starts from three observations. First, the use of humour is a complex, puzzling, and idiosyncratically human form of behaviour (and hence is of scientific interest). Second, there is currently no theory of how humour works. Third, one useful step towards a theory of humour is to analyse humorous items in precise detail, in order to understand their mechanisms. The author begins by considering how to study jokes rigorously: the assumptions to make, the guidelines to follow and the pitfalls to avoid. A critique of other work on humour is also provided. This introduces some important concepts, and also demonstrates the lack of agreement about what a theory of humour should look like. The language devices used in various jokes, such as puns or humour based on misinterpretation, are analysed in detail. The central part of the book develops, and demonstrates, proposals for how best to analyse the workings of simple jokes. Finally, the author makes some general suggestions about the language devicesthat seem to be central to the construction of jokes. The Linguistic Analysis of Jokes will be invaluable for researchers and advanced students of humour research, linguistics and cognitive science.

Author Biography

Graeme Ritchie is a senior lecturer in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
1 Introduction	1	(5)
2 Assumptions and methodology	6	(22)
3 Linguistic preliminaries	28	(18)
4 Incongruity and its resolution	46	(13)
5 Two models of incongruity-resolution	59	(10)
6 The General Theory of Verbal Humour	69	(12)
7 Joke similarity and identity	81	(9)
8 Manipulating interpretations	90	(19)
9 The structure of puns	109	(34)
10 Some computational studies	143	(16)
11 Pragmatic and discourse issues	159	(16)
12 Speculations on joke structure	175	(11)
13 Future directions	186	(3)
Appendix A: Formal definitions	189	(11)
Appendix B: Examples	200	(20)
Glossary	220	(5)
References	225	(9)
Index	234