5
The word sarcasm stems from Greek word sarkazein, which means to
tear flesh, to bite. Katz, 2000: 7. According to Attardo 1999: 5, sarcasm is an overtly aggressive type of irony, with clearer markers and a clear target. In the
same year, McDonald 1999: 21 states that sarcasm is a form of ironic speech commonly used to convey implicit criticism with a particular victim as its target.
Etymologically, the term irony is derived from the Greek words eironeia
or eiron and holds various meanings like affected ignorance, dissimulation, or derision. Pfeifer, 1995: 11. The irony of irony is that we can often recognize
ironic situations and language even though we have a terrible time trying to define irony. Gibbs OBrien,1991: 131.
Satire may be defined as a literary composition or form in which human
or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, ideally with the
intent to bring about improvement. Although satire often seems to be funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily humor in itself so much as an attack on
something of which the author strongly disapproves, using the weapon of wit. Singh 2012: 68
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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
Some studies about sarcasm are necessary to mention considering their relationship to this study. Reviews of related studies provided below are taken
from journal and thesis which analyze the similar topic with this present undergraduate thesis.
1. A Research by Maggie Rulli‟s “„Live from New York Its Saturday
Night‟: The Evolution of Humor As Rhetorical Statement In The 35 Years of Saturday Night Live
”.
This thesis examines the use of humor in Saturday Night Live by using a comparative analysis of the comedy in SNL season one contrasted with SNL
season thirty-five. Thirteen comedic devices are utilized as tools for analytic assessment:
clownishsilly, logical
implausibility, slapstick,
surprise, misunderstanding, irony, satire, parody, socially inappropriate humor, gross
humor, self- deprecation, invective, and wordplay. In addition, two types of previous information are requiring for audience appreciation and amusement:
prior knowledge of general society and prior knowledge of specific information. It is revealed in the result that satire and socially inappropriate humor
dominate season one, while parody and invective are common to season thirty- five. The viewers of season one must have a broad prior knowledge of general
society, while season thirty- five’s audience must have a detailed prior knowledge
7
of specific information. The following comparative analysis of SNL season one to season thirty - five reveals that the humor of each season reflects the cultural
values of that generation.
The differences with this present study lie in the focus aspect which is being analyzed and also the collected data or source.
Rulli’s study focuses on analyzing humor in rhetorical statements while this present study focuses on more
specific aspect which is sarcasm. Rulli also chose Live from New York its Saturday Night as the object which totally different with this present study which
using Two Broke Girls TV Series to collect the data Rulli, 2010:1.
2. Carrol A. Capelli, Noreen Nakagawa and Cary M. Madden‟s thesis
“How Children Understand Sarcasm: The Role of Context and Intonation
”
In the thesis, Carrol A. Capelli, Noreen Nakagawa and Cary M. Madden try to recognize ironic sarcasm. Adults may rely on either of two cues: the context
in which the utterance is made, or the speakers intonation. In two experiments comparing third graders 8-9 years old, sixth graders 11-12 years old, and
adults, we investigated the development of childrens ability to use these cues. At first, children were able to recognize sarcasm when the speakers used
sarcastic intonation but failed to do so without the intonation cue, even if the context strongly indicated a nonliteral interpretation. In the second experiment,
subjects delivered dialogue with intonation they deemed appropriate- and justified their choices-based on contexts that either suggested sarcasm or not. Young
children again appeared largely oblivious to contextually implied sarcasm. These PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
