John Benjamins Publishing Company
“I’ll be there for you!” On participation-based sitcom humour
Abstract
The paramount objective of this article is to tease out the workings of participation-based humour in film discourse. The departure point is an extension of the dyadic model of communication in the context of fictional media discourse. Differentiation is thus made between hearer types at the inter-character level, which subscribes to a participation framework typical of everyday interactions. Secondly, the film viewer, the hearer at the second communicative level, is conceptualised as a distinct hearer type, namely the recipient. Most importantly, it is shown that sitcom humour, devised by the collective sender (the film crew) to be appreciated by the recipient, tends to be based on participation phenomena, which are frequently non-humorous from the perspective of (some or all) fictional participants. Therefore, a few humorous mechanisms specific to film discourse of sitcoms are elucidated. The paper is illustrated with examples from the famous TV comedy series entitled “Friends”.
Abstract
The paramount objective of this article is to tease out the workings of participation-based humour in film discourse. The departure point is an extension of the dyadic model of communication in the context of fictional media discourse. Differentiation is thus made between hearer types at the inter-character level, which subscribes to a participation framework typical of everyday interactions. Secondly, the film viewer, the hearer at the second communicative level, is conceptualised as a distinct hearer type, namely the recipient. Most importantly, it is shown that sitcom humour, devised by the collective sender (the film crew) to be appreciated by the recipient, tends to be based on participation phenomena, which are frequently non-humorous from the perspective of (some or all) fictional participants. Therefore, a few humorous mechanisms specific to film discourse of sitcoms are elucidated. The paper is illustrated with examples from the famous TV comedy series entitled “Friends”.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Pragmatics and linguistic research into humour 1
-
Part 1. Stylistic figures as forms of humour
-
1.1: Irony
- Will anticipating irony facilitate it immediately? 19
- “That’s not ironic, that’s just stupid” 33
- Irony via “surrealism” 51
-
1.2 Puns and other wordplay
- The role of syllables and morphemes as mechanisms in humorous pun formation 71
- Context-sensitive aspects of Shakespeare’s use of puns in comedies 105
- Dimensions of incongruity in register humour 125
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Part 2. (Non)interactive forms of humour
-
2.1: Jokes
- Displays of “new” gender arrangements in Russian jokes 147
- Understanding ethnic humour in Romanian jokes 173
- Sexuality in Anglo-American anti-proverbs 191
-
2.2 Conversational humour
- Joker in the pack 217
- Humour in quasi-conversations 243
- Humour and the integration of new staff in the workplace 265
-
Part 3. Forms of humour in public discourse
- Parody in the light of the incongruity-resolution model 291
- “I’ll be there for you!” On participation-based sitcom humour 311
- “Losers, poltroons and nudniks” in Woody Allen’s Mere Anarchy 335
- Notes on humour and persuasion in advertising and legal discourse 353
- Comic takeover or comic makeover? 365
- Name index 379
- Subject index 381
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Pragmatics and linguistic research into humour 1
-
Part 1. Stylistic figures as forms of humour
-
1.1: Irony
- Will anticipating irony facilitate it immediately? 19
- “That’s not ironic, that’s just stupid” 33
- Irony via “surrealism” 51
-
1.2 Puns and other wordplay
- The role of syllables and morphemes as mechanisms in humorous pun formation 71
- Context-sensitive aspects of Shakespeare’s use of puns in comedies 105
- Dimensions of incongruity in register humour 125
-
Part 2. (Non)interactive forms of humour
-
2.1: Jokes
- Displays of “new” gender arrangements in Russian jokes 147
- Understanding ethnic humour in Romanian jokes 173
- Sexuality in Anglo-American anti-proverbs 191
-
2.2 Conversational humour
- Joker in the pack 217
- Humour in quasi-conversations 243
- Humour and the integration of new staff in the workplace 265
-
Part 3. Forms of humour in public discourse
- Parody in the light of the incongruity-resolution model 291
- “I’ll be there for you!” On participation-based sitcom humour 311
- “Losers, poltroons and nudniks” in Woody Allen’s Mere Anarchy 335
- Notes on humour and persuasion in advertising and legal discourse 353
- Comic takeover or comic makeover? 365
- Name index 379
- Subject index 381
