Pragmatics, humor studies, and the study of interaction
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Nancy D. Bell
Abstract
In this chapter, I examine the interface between pragmatics and humor studies, first by outlining the contributions pragmatics has made to our understanding of what humor is and how it functions in everyday interaction. I review research that draws on a range of empirical methods, to illustrate the diverse ways in which the interface has been approached and what these approaches have demonstrated about non-serious talk. I then examine how humor scholarship can inform our understanding of language use, and close by considering ways in which the pragmatics-humor interface might continue to develop. Here, I argue specifically for further integration of humor research into pragmatics.
Abstract
In this chapter, I examine the interface between pragmatics and humor studies, first by outlining the contributions pragmatics has made to our understanding of what humor is and how it functions in everyday interaction. I review research that draws on a range of empirical methods, to illustrate the diverse ways in which the interface has been approached and what these approaches have demonstrated about non-serious talk. I then examine how humor scholarship can inform our understanding of language use, and close by considering ways in which the pragmatics-humor interface might continue to develop. Here, I argue specifically for further integration of humor research into pragmatics.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- Sociolinguistics vs pragmatics 11
- Discourse pragmatics 33
- The interface between pragmatics and conversation analysis 59
- Pragmatics vs rhetoric 85
- Narrative studies versus pragmatics (of narrative) 121
- Translation studies and pragmatics 143
- The interface between pragmatics and gesture studies 163
- Pragmatics and anthropology 185
- Integrative pragmatics and (im)politeness theory 213
- Corpus linguistics and pragmatics 241
- The interface between pragmatics and internet-mediated communication 267
- Pragmatics, humor studies, and the study of interaction 291
- Index 311
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- Sociolinguistics vs pragmatics 11
- Discourse pragmatics 33
- The interface between pragmatics and conversation analysis 59
- Pragmatics vs rhetoric 85
- Narrative studies versus pragmatics (of narrative) 121
- Translation studies and pragmatics 143
- The interface between pragmatics and gesture studies 163
- Pragmatics and anthropology 185
- Integrative pragmatics and (im)politeness theory 213
- Corpus linguistics and pragmatics 241
- The interface between pragmatics and internet-mediated communication 267
- Pragmatics, humor studies, and the study of interaction 291
- Index 311
