Author(s)

He Linfang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of English Studies, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710128, China

Corresponding Author

ABSTRACT

Home with Kids is a family sitcom with ideal broadcast effect in China, and its humorous effects have attracted the attention of many scholars. Based on Austin's speech act theory, this paper explores the role of speech acts in the construction of humorous effects in the sitcom Home with Kids. It is found that the humor in this play is mainly caused by two speech acts. On the one hand, the literal meaning of the language itself, that is, the locutionary act, produces humor. On the other hand, illocutionary act, the misinterpretation or ignorance of the meaning of the language in a specific context or situation, can invisibly construct humorous effect. This study aims to broaden the research scope of speech act theory, test the practicality and feasibility of speech act theory for dynamic discourse. Meanwhile, it aids people to better understand the humorous effects generated in two speech acts, and helps them to better appreciate sitcom Home with Kids.

KEYWORDS

CITE THIS PAPER

He Linfang, An Analysis of Humor in Home with Kids from Perspective of Speech Act Theory. Lecture Notes on Language and Literature (2024) Vol. 7: 113-117. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/langl.2024.070316.

REFERENCES

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[6] Zhang, W. (2020) A Comparative Analysis of the Ambiguity of English and Chinese Languages: A Case Study of the Chinese and American Sitcoms Home with Kids and Friends. English Square (32), 53-56. 
[7] Ma, D. and Fan, S. (2021) The Differences in Family Education between China and the United States from the Perspective of Hofstead's Theory of Cultural Dimensions: A Case Study of Home with Kids and Modern Family. Theoretic Observation, (10), 134-136. 
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[9] Austin, J. L. (1962) How to do things with words. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

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