A Pragmatic Analysis of Irony in Vanity Fair_英语论文

摘要

本文以小说《名利场》的反讽对话为样本，根据Searle言语行为理论分析小说中的反讽是如何用于表达并被认知理解的过程。反讽的表达的特征是说话人通过间接言语行为表达的言外之意是对其命题内容的对立、否定或矛盾，理解的关键是说话人在会话过程中发现说话人表达的会话命题内容与实际语境不一致，甚至产生矛盾， 从而做出放弃字面含义而从相反的角度去理解的选择。

研究归纳出四种类型的反讽言语表达行为以及它们的分布情况。其中四种反讽表达分别是阐述性反讽言语行为、阐述性反讽言语行为、指令性反讽言语行为和承诺性反讽言语行为。其分布情况是阐述性反讽言语行为的运用最为普及，其次表达性反讽言语行为,后两者分别为指令性反讽言语行为和承诺性反讽言语行为。

关键词:  名利场 反讽 言语行为理论

Abstract

This thesis is based on the dialogue of the novel Vanity Fair and analyzes how irony is expressed and cognitive understood in the novel according to Searle’ s Speech Act Theory. The expression characteristics of irony is, through the indirect speech act, the implication that the speaker expresses is the opposite,negative or contradictory side of the propositional content. The key to understand is that the speaker finds the propositional content that he expresses is inconsistent with the actual context and even with conflict, so as to give up the literal meaning and to understand from the opposite side. 

The thesis concludes four types of ironic speech acts and their distribution. These four verbal irony are assertive irony, directive irony, commissive irony as well as expressive irony, among which the assertive irony is the most frequently used one, followed by the expressive irony. the latter two ironic speech acts are directive irony and commissive irony.

Keywords:  Vanity Fair  irony  Speech Act Theory

Contents

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Thackeray and Vanity Fair 1

1.2 Significance of the Study 1

1.3 Overall Organization of the Thesis 2

2 Literature Review 3

2.1 Definition of Irony 3

2.2 General Study of Irony at Home and Abroad 4

2.3 Classification of Irony 6

3 Theoretical Framework 8

3.1 John Searl’ s Speech Act Theory 8

3.2 Ironic Speech Act 9

4 Ironic Speech Acts in Vanity Fair 12

4.1 Verbal irony in Vanity Fair 12

4.1.1 Assertive Irony  12

4.1.2 Directive Irony 13

4.1.3 Commissive Irony 15

4.1.4 Expressive Irony 17

4.1.5 Summary 18

4.2 Prerequisite of Expressing and Understanding Verbal Irony 19

Conclusion 21

Acknowledgments 22

References 23