Releasing emotion in violation of maxim of Quantity
a very fine man, and... Teds
mother Robin, its not that I dont want grandkids. Its just I
dont think anyone should make the mistake of getting married too young.
The situation above is the fight between Robin and Ted‟s mother. The day before, Robin and Ted think that Ted‟s mother is going to ask both of them about
having babies, but it turns out that she does not. That fact makes Robin create an assumption that Ted‟s mother does not want her babies. Thus, during brunch,
Robin asks Ted‟s mother the reason why she does not want Robin to have Ted‟s babies. Ted
‟s mother answers her by asking, “Do you want to have my grandkids?
” Then, without thinking any further, Robin answers, “No I mean, I dont know. I just... I want you to want me to want to have your grandkids.
And you should. Im a genetic gold mine. No family history of diabetes or heart disease. Everyone has nonporous teeth and perfect eyesight. I had one
schizophrenic uncle but even he had perfect vision. Which was unfortunate for the people around the bell tower he was in, but still he was a very fine
man, and...
” As it is explained previously, Robin‟s answer above is an attempt to assure
Ted‟s mother that she is going to have great babies with Ted, but in here, she is being too informative by giving unnecessary information. She explains about her
family‟s history Ted‟s mother does not even ask beforehand. In here, Robin‟s unnecessary statement shows that she has flouted the maxim of Quantity. That
being said, Robin wants Ted‟s mother to get the implicature Robin delivers which is the fact that Robin wants her to have her grandkids.
In order to see how humorous situation occurs in the situation above, release theory of humor is applied in the analysis. Release theory of humor sees
laughter as the surplus energy dispelled from ones‟ mind. By bursting out laughter, someone feels liberated from particular repressed feeling. Linked to
release theory of humor, Robin‟s insufficient information above represents her feeling of not being wanted by Ted‟s mother. She creates an assumption that
Ted‟s mother does not want her to have her grandkids. Robin represses that feeling in her mind and it becomes a surplus energy waiting to be expelled.
Robin‟s action of uttering that long and unnecessary information is the moment when the repressed emotion is expelled and the moment when laughter occurs.