基于关联理论分析会话幽默_英语论文

E-C Interpretation of Conversational Humor Based on the Relevance Theory

摘要

幽默是人类语言智慧的结晶，能调节人际关系，促进中英文化交流。但是因为英汉语言文化差异，幽默翻译问题仍须解决。本文基于关联理论对会话幽默多方面深入剖析，探讨了幽默的特点，并将其翻译看做成明示-推理的过程，从语境效果，处理努力等因素考虑，寻求听话人与说话人之间的最佳关联。最后，理论与实践相结合提出幽默翻译策略：直接翻译和间接翻译，根据会话幽默实例，选择最佳汉译方法，原汁原味的体现外语幽默效果。

关键词：交流；关联理论；会话幽默；最佳关联；翻译

Abstract

Humor , the corrective wisdom of human being, can regulate interpersonal relationship as well promote cross-culture communication between Chinese and English. But the problem about humor translation remains to be resolved on account of differences in humor language. The thesis probes into many aspects of communicative humor or to say verbal humor on the basis of relevance theory and analyses its character which is treated as an ostensive-inferential procedure. Taking processing efforts and context effects into consideration, the translator seeks the optimal relevance between speaker and hearer. Intergrading theory with practice through valid cases of verbal humor, the thesis proposes three strategies clearly, literal translation and free translation and addition, from which the translator selects for authentic humorous effects.

Key words: communication; relevance theory; verbal humor; optimal relevance; translation

Contents

1.Introduction 1

1.1Research abroad on humor translation 1

1.2 Research on humor translation at home 1

1.3 The significance of the thesis 2

1.4 Thesis structure 3

2. Linguistic Analysis of Verbal Humor 3

2.2 Classification of humor 4

2.2.1 Non-verbal humor 4

2.2.2 Verbal humor 5

2.3 Causes of verbal humor 6

2.3.1 Humor caused by language ambiguity 6

2.3.2Humor caused by phonetics 7

2.3.3Humor caused by figure of speech 8

3.Relevance theory and translation 9

3.1 General view of relevance theory 9

3.1.1Cognitive mechanism 10

3.1.2 Cognitive context 10

3.1.3Ostensive-inferential mode 11

3.1.4 Optimal relevance 12

3.2 Relevance-theoretic account for humor translation 13

3.2.1 Translation as a double ostensive-inferential communication 13

3.2.2 Translation as a cognition-dependent communication 14

4.Translation Strategies of Verbal Humor Based on Relevance Theory 15

4.1Differences between Chinese humor and English humor 15

4.1.1 Social function 15

4.1.2 Degree of connotation 16

4.2 Translation strategies of verbal humor 16

4.2.1 Literal Translation 16

4.2.2 Free Translation 17

4.2.3 Addition 19

5. Conclusion 21

5.1 Limitations and findings 21

5.2 Suggestions 22

References: 23