Humorous means, serious messages
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Agnieszka Piskorska
Abstract
Drawing on the observation that speakers may use jokes as stylistic devices to communicate propositional meanings, this paper offers a relevance-theoretic account of pragmatic mechanisms involved in this kind of communication, dubbed ‘meaningful jokes.’ First, I argue that the comprehension of any joke not only relies on the hearer’s background knowledge, but may also lead to the modification of beliefs. Then I explore selected forms of expression which potentially bear affinity to meaningful jokes, such as fiction, metaphors, allegories, and irony. Finally, I postulate that meaningful jokes rely on a unique propositional attitude and emergent implicatures resulting from the incongruity between the joke’s scenario and a real-life situation in which it was intended to be relevant.
Abstract
Drawing on the observation that speakers may use jokes as stylistic devices to communicate propositional meanings, this paper offers a relevance-theoretic account of pragmatic mechanisms involved in this kind of communication, dubbed ‘meaningful jokes.’ First, I argue that the comprehension of any joke not only relies on the hearer’s background knowledge, but may also lead to the modification of beliefs. Then I explore selected forms of expression which potentially bear affinity to meaningful jokes, such as fiction, metaphors, allegories, and irony. Finally, I postulate that meaningful jokes rely on a unique propositional attitude and emergent implicatures resulting from the incongruity between the joke’s scenario and a real-life situation in which it was intended to be relevant.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
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Section 1. Beyond meaning
- Beyond meaning NN and ostension 11
- Contrastive stress in English 29
- Presupposition effects 43
- Metaphor comprehension 61
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Section 2. Beyond meaning
- Conceptual mappings and contextual assumptions 79
- An experiential view on what makes literature relevant 99
- Humorous means, serious messages 119
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Section 3. Furthur beyond
- Experiences of ineffable significance 135
- Hushed tones 151
- Onomatopoeia, impressions and text on screen 161
- Before meaning 177
- Index 199
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Section 1. Beyond meaning
- Beyond meaning NN and ostension 11
- Contrastive stress in English 29
- Presupposition effects 43
- Metaphor comprehension 61
-
Section 2. Beyond meaning
- Conceptual mappings and contextual assumptions 79
- An experiential view on what makes literature relevant 99
- Humorous means, serious messages 119
-
Section 3. Furthur beyond
- Experiences of ineffable significance 135
- Hushed tones 151
- Onomatopoeia, impressions and text on screen 161
- Before meaning 177
- Index 199
