Comparative Analysis of Humorous Discourses.docx

1、Comparative Analysis of Humorous Discourses Comparative Analysis of Humorous Discourses AcknowledgementsDuring the time when I working on this thesis, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all the people who have helped me with my thesis.First of all, high tribute shall be paid to my superv

2、isor Prof.WeiBenli, who has guided me in the process of my thesis.Second, I am also deeply indebted to all the other tutors and teachers in Sanda for their direct and indirect help to me.Finally, special thanks should go to my family and friends who have put considerable time and effort into their c

3、omments on my thesis.AbstractHumor is a unique product of human civilization, which is shown through the language dialogue.In this way, through the comparative study of Chinese and English, it can not only help language learners to understand the phenomenon of humor, but also add a different color i

4、n daily conversation, writing and other aspects also.Life has a wide variety of humor, and both Chinese and English has no lack of humor. It will exist in the written words, provide some entertainment and amusement for us readers, and also exist in daily conversation, which provides some thoughts be

5、yond entertainment.As a Chinese English learner, we must learn to appreciate the language, especially in beauty of humorous discourses, so we should learn and understand humorous discourses to improve reading interest, reading appreciation ability, and enhance the ability of intercultural communicat

6、ion.This paper describes the definition of humor, functions and nature, and a review of the research progress in psychology and linguistics aspects of humorous discourse. Through the comparative study of Chinese and English humor history, this thesis is the development process of Chinese and English

7、 humorous discourses, as well as the contrastive analysis of linguistic aspects, concerning their causes and differences. The research results of this thesis can be a bit instructive in the appreciation of humorous discourses.摘要幽默是人类文明独有的产物，是通过语言对话来展现的。这样，通过对中西方言语幽默的对比研究不仅能帮助语言学习者更好的理解幽默现象，而且在会话，写作等

8、方面也会增添别样的色彩。生活中有各种各样的幽默，汉语英语都不缺乏，它会存在于语言文字幽默，给我们读者提供一些消遣和娱乐，也会存在于日常会话当中，提供娱乐之外的一些思考。作为汉语英语的学习者，我们必须学会欣赏语言，尤其是语言中的幽默美，所以我们应该去学习、理解幽默话语从而提高阅读兴趣、阅读鉴赏能力，进而增强跨文化交际的能力。本文首先讨论了幽默的定义，功能和本质，并回顾了幽默话语在心理学以及语言学方面的一些研究进展。通过中英幽默话语历史起源的对比研究，本文从中英幽默话语的发展历程角度进行了语言学方面的对比分析，涉及中英文幽默话语的不同点以及导致的原因。本文的研究结论对欣赏幽默话语具有一定的启发作用

9、。关键词：幽默话语，起源与发展，语言学分析ContentsAcknowledgements 1Abstract 2摘要 3Contents 41. Introduction 51.1Cognition of humor 51.2 General idea and structure 62.Literature Review 72.1 Definitions of humor 72.2 Humorous discourse 82.2.1 Psychological approaches 82.2.2 Linguistic approaches 93. Historical Comparison

10、of humorous discourse 103.1 Origin of humor in Chinese 103.2 Origin of humorin English 114.Development of Chinese and English humor 124.1 Chinese humor 134.2English humor 135.Their causes and differences 155.1 Difference in national characters 155.2 Difference in aims and ideologies 155.3 Difference

11、 in way of thinking 165.4 English humor 176. Conclusion 18References .191. Introduction1.1 Cognition of humorHumorous discourse is a regular linguistic phenomenon which brings us a colorful, fascinating life. In addition to the enjoyment, the pragmatic function of humor discourse cant be neglected.

12、Humorous discourse promotes a better interpersonal relationship, encouraging people to face difficulties actively. Nowadays using humorous discourse correctly will promote the communication developing successfully. By researching the humor discourse of those English speaking countries, English learn

13、ers can gain more information about their culture. We can understand their way of humor and will not cause communication barriers because of different culture. Learning the essence of other countries humor culture to enrich ours will make our Chinese humor culture much colorful in a certain extent.

14、Whats more, under the economic globalization, cultural communication become more frequent, thus the diversity of humorous discourse will broaden our mind.Maybe we dont realize but we cant deny that humor is important and necessary. Humor can change our culture and lives, minds and experiences. We do

15、 need humor whatever in daily life, academy or politics.The existence and use of humor is a common sociolinguistics phenomenon. Humor plays a very important role in expressing peoples ideals and communication. The charm of humorous discourse bases on speakers unique language skills and languages cul

16、ture background. Humor is a distinct feature of English language. To make sure that cross-cultural communication is carrying on smoothly, however understanding humorous discourse of English speaking country is quite important. In social communication, people may have some awkwardness. In order to av

17、oid the awkwardness, this article coming with the definition, production, constitution, ways of using roundly compare and analyze the humorous discourse between Chinese and English.1.2 General idea and structureHumor has been the subject of many scholars and has played an important role in the work

18、of many great writers. But what is meant by “humor”? And what is the nature of “humor”? Many scholars try to answer these questions from the variousfields.Nowadays, humor has much more connections with linguistics, because language and humor have inseparable relation. First, language has become the

19、theme of humorous discourse. Second, the comprehension, appreciation, and development of humor are determinedto a large degree, by the cultural attitudes and values associated with it andby the use andfunction of language insociety.This paper will discuss the origin and development of humorous disco

20、urses in Chinese and English concerning their causes and differences. Regarding humorous discourse as a valuable resources instead of lifeless rules. In order to help people have a better understanding or appreciation of humorous discourses, this thesis take into account many scholars view of humor

21、theories and the comparison and analysis of humor in both languages.2. Literature review2.1 Definitions of humorThere are plenty of resources about what is humor while the definitions have a large diversity. Humor can be a kind of fluid in body, a disposition of characteristics or habits.Humor may b

22、e a quality, mind or a kind of hobby. Someone makes humor a positive attitude and a lifestyle. Others make it an ability to express, discover and appreciate the funny part and the absolutely incongruous. Humor is also created to be laughable and entertaining.“Humor”is originated from the word “(h) m

23、 r-(h) mor” for“liquid” or“fluid” in Latin (Xu Lixin 2003:1), and has a great relation with the “theory of humors” inMedieval medicine (Attardo 1994:9). During the early western period, Hippocrates (460 BC-377? BC) created the physiological theory, and humor is regarded as one of the four fluids in

24、human body: First, blood (representing heatemanating from the humans heart,),phlegm (representing coldcomingfrom the humans brain,), choler (representing dryness,secretedby the liver, yellow bile), and melancholy (representing water,originating inthe spleen and stomach, black bile). The alternate mi

25、xing these“humors” in different people were considered to modify their qualities both physically and mentally, as well as the dispositions of them. An imbalance of these four fluids resulted in disease (Humphrey 1982:36; Chen 1988: 14; McHenry1993:123). By the 16th century, “humor” actually became a

26、 stupid action orshortcoming. Then, several centuries later, the term of humor had become to use in ones state of mind or mood generally.Jonson (1527-1637) consideredthe definition of humor that it is avery strong quality ofa person which all his feelings, desires and talent obey and under which the

27、y allchase in the same direction, shares some same ideas with theconcept of humor in the middle ages.While in modern usage, humor is defined to be a kind ofquality or mood, and different from its original usage.In physiological part,humor is considered to be a means of communication which will bring

28、 amusement illuminates or lead to a facial reaction: the reaction of laughing. In this way, it is the most scientific definition of humor and the least controversial. Spontaneously laughing is produced by the fifteen facial musclescoordinated contraction in a stereotyped pattern and accompanied by a

29、ltered breathing (Koestler 1993:626).In general, the definitions of humor is divided into four categories: a capacity or quality of a speaker, a situation of the discourse orfeature, the objective expression (in the form of the event, situation itself, literary works, or other discourses) and a skil

30、l of expression.2.2 Humorous discourse2.2.1 Psychological ApproachesPsychological analyses of linguistic humor have been based on the notion ofincongruityand resolution (Pepicello1983:73). What is incongruity? Incongruity means that the situation or nature of things contradicting itself. Beattie tho

31、ught humor is the combine of two wrongly matched idea. Kant and Schopenhauer considered that incongruity is an important element of producing humor. One of the necessary conditions of humor is the difference between expectation and reality which is incongruity. In Suls view, incongruity is a major r

32、equisite in judging discourses are humorous or not.The ability of producing, understanding and appreciating humorous discourses make a great influence on cultural intercommunication and interaction. Detailed and comprehensive research on humor will enhance the interactive development of other subjects such as science, psychology, sociology, cross-culture communication and so on. Although the exploration of humor originated from ancient Greek, all the time this research field presenting the situation of a hun