On prosody and humor in Greek conversational narratives
| Author: | Archakis, Argiris |
| Author 2: | Maria Giakoumelou |
| Author 3: | Dimitris Papazachariou; Villy Tsakona |
| Abstract: | |
| Several studies have investigated how speakers segment extended turns containing narrative or argumentative constituents via the use of pragmatic cues such as discourse markers (see, e.g. Schiffrin 1987; Norrick 2000). However, the internal segmentation of extended turns by prosodic means remains a quite unexplored area of study (see, e.g. Couper-Kuhlen & Selting 1996). In this context, the aim of our study is to examine the role of prosodic framing of humorous turn constructional units, i.e. jab lines, in a humorous narrative turn. Based on CA approaches to narrative analysis as well as on recent developments in the theory of prosody, our aim is twofold: a) to investigate, by means of statistical tests, if jab lines are systematically segmented by pauses and by differentiation in speed and intensity; b) to analyze their conversational and pragmatic functions within humorous conversational narratives. The data examined comes from 3 conversations between 6 adolescent girls (2 in each conversation) and includes 22 humorous conversational narratives. The narratives contain 170 jab lines, checked for the occurrence of pauses before and after them, and measured for speed and intensity using the Praat software. Based on the results of our quantitative and qualitative analysis, we argue that the occurrence of pauses surrounding jab lines and of prosodic differentiation in speed and intensity, are systematically employed by the narrators in order to signal, delimit, and underline jab lines, and to create vividness and enhance audience involvement as well. |
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