Abstract

Since the use of puns can bring the rhetorical effect of humor or satire, enhance the richness of the information, and make the language melodious, puns have been frequently used in literature, media and people’s daily talks. This dissertation is a pragmatic analysis of puns based both on the data collected from media, literary works and daily talks, and on the relevant theories as well. The dissertation first reviews different interpretations of the pun in previous studies, and puts forward a relatively comprehensive definition, following which data analysis presents an account as to the three consecutive conditions for the formation of puns, namely, double context, hinge and trigger. In the following part, the paper introduces the five categories of puns—homophonic puns, homographic puns, homonymic puns, phrasal puns, and syntactic puns, and then analyzes each category with examples. The main part of the study elaborates upon the four rhetorical effects of puns—to increase humorous and dramatic effect; to satirize implicitly and wittily; to create a multi-dimensional context by using an image, thus increasing the richness of information and enhancing the aesthetic effect, and to enhance language impact by more concise and vivid expression and to improve auditory appeal with rhythm and rhyme. The study is unfolded through data analysis. Along with theoretic exploration, the present paper also aims at helping English learners get a comprehensive, profound and systematic understanding of puns, and grasp their cultural connotation. Meanwhile, it can help people enhance their appreciation of English humor, facilitate an effective cross-cultural communication, and enable actual use of puns to achieve certain rhetorical effects in English speaking and writing.

Keywords: pun; pragmatic analysis; definition; classification; rhetorical effects
 
摘要

由于英语双关语的使用可带来幽默效果，增强信息的丰富性和深刻性,赋予语言节奏感和韵律美，双关语被经常运用于文学作品、媒体用语和人们日常对话中。本文在收集了媒体用语、文学作品和日常对话中的大量双关语语料的基础上，结合相关理论，对英语双关语进行语用分析。本文首先回顾国内外学者对双关语的不同描述,提出一个较为全面的定义,并通过实例，分析双关语的三个实现条件——双重语境、铰链、触机；接着，论文描述双关语的五种类型:同音异义词双关、同形异义词双关、同音同形异义词双关、短语双关和句法双关。本文核心部分归纳分析双关语运用带来的四种语用效果——诙谐幽默,寓庄于谐,增强戏剧效果；讽刺挖苦, 旁敲侧击, 含蓄机智；创造一个意象,烘托出一种富有立体感意象的语境,增强信息的丰富性和深刻性,提升审美效果；使语言简洁明快,新颖醒目,形象生动，使音韵和谐、悦耳，赋予其语言节奏感和韵律美。分析与阐述均在英语实例分析的基础上进行。本文对双关语进行各方面的解读，目的是对双关语能有更为全面深刻和系统化的认识，把握英语双关语蕴含的文化内涵。同时，对双关语的研究可以帮助我们更好地理解英语中的幽默,提高对英语的分析和鉴赏能力,以促进跨文化交际,并提升在英语会话和写作中为达到特定表达效果而恰当应用双关语的意识和能力。

关键词：英语双关语；语用分析；定义； 分类； 修辞效果