Logical Mechanism LM Verbal Humor Translation

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c. Target TA

Target TA refers to the target that is being made fun of. Attardo 1994 writes that the TA contains the names of the individuals or groups that are targeted by the joke. Humor that does not offend someone or groups has nothing to do with this KR, therefore, this parameter appears to be optional. The Target’s names may not be clearly mentioned, but with the particular stereotypes attached to them makes it recognizable for the audiences.

d. Situation SI

The next Knowledge Resources, Situation SI, discusses about what the humor is all about. SI contains the properties of a joke, such as the objects, the participants, the instruments, the setting place, activities, etc. Attardo 1994 says that any joke must have some situation, although some jokes may rely more on one of the properties, while others can be ignored.

e. Logical Mechanism LM

The Logical Mechanism LM, which is a more abstract parameter, refers to the way that the scripts in a humor are put together. Attardo 1994 notifies that LM can be simply juxtaposed with each other, as in this slogan written in a tee- shirt: “Gobi Desert Canoe Club”, or can be a more complex error of reasoning, such as false analogies, as in this humorous riddle Attardo, 1994: Question : Madonna does not have it, the Pope has it but doesn’t use it, Bush has it short, and Gorbachev long. What is it? Answer : a last name. 22 Since Attardo does not provide the categorization of LM, the researcher refers to a categorization proposed by Koponen 2004. Koponen 2004 lists 10 categories of Logical Mechanism as follows: 1 Differential-potency mapping One script is mapped onto another script that has more or less agentive potency, for instance, an inanimate thing has less agentive than a person. 2 Similar-potency mapping Elements in a script are replaced with the same agentive potency. For example, a person substituted with another person, or a building replaced with another building. 3 Consequence or implied consequence The consequence of an event is presented, and let the audience imagine the actual event. 4 Juxtaposition The two scripts are expressed simultaneously. 5 Sequence The scripts are presented in sequence, for example, one script is shown in a movie frame, and then another one comes out in the next frame. 6 Mediating Script One script is created to put the two scripts of the Script Opposition into opposition. 23 7 Obvious error A character in a situation does not manage to resolve something very obviously. 8 Exaggeration An element of one script is exaggerated in order to create humorous effects. 9 Roles There are three possibilities in this category. Firstly, the roles of a character are replaced from the script normally in question. The next possibility is the mirrored role, that is, similar roles in the two scripts are mirrored. The last one is the recursive roles, which filling up the similar roles in the two scripts so that the target of one script becomes the agent of the other. 10 Negation One of the two scripts is negated.

f. Script Opposition SO