Notions of Verbal Humor

According to Delabastita in Spanakaki 2007, wordplay is the general name for the various textual phenomena in which structural features of the languages are used are exploited in order to bring about a communicatively significant confrontation of two or more linguistic structures with more or less similar forms and more or less different meanings. For example: SE : We need something that can make us winggle. Something that make us jiggle. TE : Kita membutuhkan sesuatu yang bisa membuat kita bergoyang. Sesuatu yang bisa mengguncang. The word “winggle” is originated from the word “wiggle” which means to move from side to side or up and down in short quick movements; to move something in this way. Since they are birds which have wings, the character said “winggle” as the result of association between the word “wing” and “wiggle”. In addition, the last word at the end of the sentence he said “jiggle” to make a perfect rhyme. Furthermore, According to the type and degree of similarity, wordplay can be divided into the following categories Delabastita, 1996: 128 in Spanakaki, 2007. a Homonymy Homonymy is a type of wordplay which has identical spelling and sounds but different meaning. For example, the word can in English meaning ‘be able’ and also can meaning ‘put something in a container’. In the context of verbal humor, it can be seen as the following example. SE : Eduardo : Brazil nut trees. These trees are the key to our way of life. The trees feed us. The sustain us. Blu : Sleep Eduardo : Hey, wake up Waking Blu up. Blu : Im up Nutty Brazil... Brazil nut trees, something. Yeah, got it. TE : Eduardo : Pohon kacang Brazil. Pohon-pohon ini adalah kunci untuk menjalankan hidup kita. Pohon-pohon yang memberi makan kita. Mereka menyokong kehidupan kita. Blu : Tidur Eduardo : Bangunlah Blu : Aku bangun. Brazil Gila... Kacang Brazil, semacam itu. Iya, aku mengerti. In the dialogue above, Blu said “Nutty Brazil” and “Brazil Nut” which have same spelling but different meaning. First nut means a strange or crazy person, while the second nut means a small hard fruit with a very hard shell that grows on some trees. b Homophony Homophony is a type of wordplay which is pronounced like another word but has a different spelling or meaning. For example, the word some, and sum s∆m. In the context of verbal humor, it can be seen as the following example. SE : Carla : Heres the plan. Auditions today... And we preview the show tomorrow. Pedro : Oui? What are you talking about, oui? You speak French? Carla : Come on, chop-chop. Lets get started Rafi : Wow, kids been working. TE : Carla : Ini rencananya. Audisi hari ini. Dan kita akan mempersembahkan pertunjukkannya besok. Pedro : Kita? Apa yang kau maksudkan dengan kita? Kau berbicara bahasa Perancis? Carla : Ayo, bersemangatlah. Ayo kita mulai Rafi : Anak-anak telah bersiap.