英语语用学论文
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TheCooperativePrincipleofPragmatics:
AnAnalysisoftheVerbalHumourintheSitcomHomewithKids
Sincethelanguagewasborn,theresearchofithasneverinterrupted.Humoristhespice
ofourlives,leaveitthelifewillbeboring.PragmaticsisamainbranchofLinguistics,with
thedevelopmentofpragmatictheory,linguistsandhobbyistsfrommanyanglesanalysison
verbalhumorandachievedfruitfulresults.Whilecooperativeprinciple,asoneofthemost
importantpragmaticprinciple,makesasystemicstudyaboutlanguageuseandlaysasolid
foundationforlaterdevelopmentofpragmatics.Theviolationofcooperativeprinciplecan
oftengenerateconversationalimplicatureorachievecertaincommunicativeeffects.Onthe
basisofprevioushumourandpragmatictheoryresearch,Iwillanalysisfromthepointofthe
cooperativeprincipleofthoseverbalhumourdialogueinthesitcom"HomewithKids",which
reflectsthedailylifeofarebuiltfamilyandattractsmanyChineseaudiencesbyitscreating
writing,goodactingaswellasitswonderfultranscripts.
1.FourMaximsoftheCooperativePrinciple
In1975,thelanguagephilosopherH.P.Gricepublishedaseminalarticleentitled“The
CooperativePrinciple”whichcreatedquiteastirinthelinguisticworldandgeneratedalarge
numberoflinguisticpublicationsthatarebuiltonGrice'spostulates.
AccordingtoGrice,inconversationalexchange,peopleusuallytrytoreachacommon
goalbymutualeffortsoratleastmaketheconversationdevelopinthedirectionoftheir
expectation.Toachievethis,peopleneedtocooperatewitheachother.Grice'theoryofthe
cooperativeprincipleexplainshowitispossibleforthespeakertoconveymorethanwhatis
literallysaidandfoethehearertounderstand.
ThefourmaximsofCPareQuantityMaxim,QualityMaxim,MannerMaximand
RelationMaxim.Themaximofquantityhastwosub-maximsthatrequirethecooperative
speakertosayasmuchasbutnomorethanisrequiredforhisparticularpurposesinthetalk
exchange.Themaximofqualityalsohastwosub-maxims,whichdemandsthatthespeaker
sayonlywhathebelievestobetrueandforwhichhehassufficientevidence.Themaximof
relationurgesthespeakertomakehiscontributionrelevanttothecommunicationcontext.
Themaximofmannerrequiresthespeakertobemethodicalandtoavoidambiguity,prolixity,
andobscurity.Inshort,asGriceputitforthecooperativeprinciple,"makeyourconversationalcontributionsuchasisrequired,atthestageatwhichitoccurs,bytheaccepted
purposeordirectionofthetalkexchangeinwhichyouareengaged".Thecooperative
principleisthefoundationofpragmaticinterpretationofhumor,ofwhichthefloutingof
maximsplaysaveryimportantrole.
2.FloutingsofCPMaximsandHumorProduction
Inactualconversation,aparticipantmaydeliberatelyfloutCPmaximsforsomereason
orspecialneed.Asanimportantcategoryofnon-observanceoftheconversationalmaxims,a
floutisdistinguishedbydeliberatelytriggeringthehearer'ssearchforanimplicature.The
speakeremploysthiswayseeminglyagainstthecooperativeprincipletoreinforcethe
communicativeeffect.Inthiswaythespeakercanmakehisconversationhumorousandthus
producetheeffectofhumor.Infact,floutingoftheCPisoftenseeninChinesesitcoms.Of
course,sitcomwritersalsodeliberatelyflouttheprincipleinordertoachievehumorous
effects.
2.1FloutingtheQuantityMaxim
Whenaspeakeroffersmoreorlessinformationthanisrequiredbythesituationwiththe
intentionofgeneratinganimplicature,hefloutsthemaximofquantity.Lookatthefollowing
example:
(1)(InEpisode093,LiuXinggoestoInternetcaféandLiuMeikeepsaskingwhathedid
there.)
Xing:You'dbetternotinterferewithmybusinessfromnowon!
(以后我的事情你少管.)
Mei:Whatdidyousay?Idon'tinterferewithyourbusiness?Whydidn'tyousayitwhenI
breast-fedyou?Whydidn'tyousayitwhenyouweresick?Whydidn'tyousayitwhen
youfelltotheground?Whydidn'tyousayitwhenyoucouldn'twalk?Youdon'twantme
tointerferewithyounow,becauseyouaregrownupandcandowhateveryouwant?
(你说什么呢?再说一遍!我少管?你小时候喝奶的时候怎么不说?小时候生病的时候怎
么不说呀?摔跟头时候怎么不说呀?学会走路时候怎么不说?这时候让我少管。你翅
膀硬了,自个会飞了?)Inthisepisode,themotherisveryangryaboutwhatLiuXingdidandsaid;sheisso
angrythatshecan’thelptalkingexcessivelyaboutthematter,whichsoundshumorous.This
obviouslyviolatesthesecondsub-maximofquantity:Donotmakeyourcontributionmore
informativethanisrequired.(2)Let'stakeanotherepisodeasanexample:
Daddidn'tgethomeontime,LiuMeiaskXiaoYutocallhiscellphone,aftermadethe
phonecall
Mei:Whoansweredthephone?(谁接的电话?)
Yu:Awoman.(一个女的。)
Mei:What?Whatdidshesay?(嗯?说什么?)
Yu:Shesaid,"sorry,youdialtelephonetemporarilyunabletogetthrough."(“对不起，您
拨打的电话暂时无法接通……”。)Inthisdialogue,XiaoYuintentionallydidnotsaythatitisthevoicepromptsbuta
womantopickupthephone,shedidnotgiveenoughinformationatthebeginning,therefore,
sheviolatedthelackingofinformationcriteriainordertocreateatenseatmosphere.
2.2FloutingtheQualityMaxim
Themaximofqualityrequiresthatone'sverbalcontributiontoaconversationshouldbe
truthful.Thetheoryalsoclaimsthatyouviolatethequalitymaximwhenyoudeliberatelylieor
communicateinawaythatdoesnotreflectanhonestintention.Thefollowingaretwo
