Contents

Acknowledgments

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Objective and Significance of the Research-1

1.2 Research Methodology-1

1.3 Structure of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 Overview of Humor-3

2.2 A Brief Survey on Sitcom-4

2.3 Previous Studies-4

2.3.1 Previous Studies on Verbal Humor-4

2.3.2 Previous Studies on Verbal Humor of Sitcoms-5

Chapter Three A Comparative Analysis of Verbal Humor in English and Chinese-6

3.1 Similarities of Verbal Humor in English and Chinese-6

3.1.1 Techniques in Rhetoric Applied to Verbal Humor-6

3.1.2 Functions of Verbal Humor-8

3.2 Differences of Verbal Humor in English and Chinese-10

3.2.1 Topics of Verbal Humor-10

3.2.2 Joking Targets of Verbal Humor-11

3.2.3 Occasions of Verbal Humor-12

3.2.4 Modes of Expression of Verbal Humor-13

Chapter Four Conclusion-15

4.1 Major Findings-15

4.2 Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research-16

References-17

Abstract

As an important mode of communication, verbal humor has been studied from lots of fields such as literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology and anthropology. Currently, most of researches on humor just reveal how humor comes into being and analyze the application of verbal humor from the perspective of linguistics according to many scholars at home and abroad. As a result, the studies of the cultural features of humor are slightly insufficient. However, humorous language and social culture are closely linked. On the basis of current studies on humor at home and abroad, this thesis will study English and Chinese verbal humor from the cross-cultural perspective and compare the verbal humor of American sitcom Friends and Chinese sitcom Love Apartment to discuss how to understand verbal humor correctly in different cultures, then help people appreciate verbal humor in a better way.

The thesis is divided into four parts. The first part is the introduction of the thesis. The second part is literature review, which introduces humor, sitcom and previous studies. The third part compares and analyzes Friends and Love Apartment to study the similarities and differences of verbal humor in English and Chinese from the perspective of culture. The similarities consist of techniques in rhetoric and functions, and the differences consist of topics, joking targets, occasions and modes of expression. The last part summarizes the thesis and puts forward suggestions for the further research.

Keywords:  verbal humor  Friends  Love Apartment  cultural differences