TY - GEN

T1 - Prosodic Text Rhythm And Comic Effects: The Possibility Of Correlation 

AU - Vasileva, Viktoria

N1 - Conference code: VII

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - The study is based on proposition that the rhythmic organization of a discourse is the result of interaction of its prosodic characteristics. The text rhythm is understood as the quasiregular repeatability of rhythmic structures, constituting intonational-semantic blocks within syntagma and phrase (minimal semantic units). The search for the connection between rhythm and humor - as a scientific problem - arose due to the sharp increase in comic content in contemporary Russian media with a simultaneous increase in the share of oral speech in the media space. This article is the first attempt to the study this problem on the material of the Russian language. The main objective of the study displayed in the article is to detect in the delivery of radio news (emotionally neutral message) such rhythmic structures that would correlate with a humorous assessment which does not have a lexicalsemantic expression. The analysis was carried out by the non-experimental method of comparing the news delivered on the air by the newscaster (precedent) with a phonetic record of the same news text, made by the author of the article on the basis of previously obtained data (standard). An important concomitant purpose was to demonstrate the method of detecting rhythmic structures: ways of processing empirical material, intonational and thematic-rhematic qualification of syntagmas, detecting their interaction, and then – interpreting the semantic and evaluative differences of the standard and precedent and searching for humorous content in the latter. The results of the analysis allow confirming the possibility of finding correlation between prosodic rhythm and humor. In the analyzed message, we identified the following rhythmic markers of humor. Creatable rhematization of the initial syntagma forms a symmetrical rhythmic structure within the phrase, which focuses the listener's attention on the unexpected phrase fragment. The contrast is thus the basis of a humorous assessment. The grouping of syntagmas within a phrase and the choice of IF for the design of these syntagmas demonstrates a newscaster’s assessment, such as mockery. Symmetric phrases formed around “IF-3+contrast” syntagma type create an intrigue regarding new fact for the audience. Further empirical analysis will help to deepen our ideas about humor as a communicative resource in a digital news environment and to identify new mechanisms for the rhythmic organization of media texts.

AB - The study is based on proposition that the rhythmic organization of a discourse is the result of interaction of its prosodic characteristics. The text rhythm is understood as the quasiregular repeatability of rhythmic structures, constituting intonational-semantic blocks within syntagma and phrase (minimal semantic units). The search for the connection between rhythm and humor - as a scientific problem - arose due to the sharp increase in comic content in contemporary Russian media with a simultaneous increase in the share of oral speech in the media space. This article is the first attempt to the study this problem on the material of the Russian language. The main objective of the study displayed in the article is to detect in the delivery of radio news (emotionally neutral message) such rhythmic structures that would correlate with a humorous assessment which does not have a lexicalsemantic expression. The analysis was carried out by the non-experimental method of comparing the news delivered on the air by the newscaster (precedent) with a phonetic record of the same news text, made by the author of the article on the basis of previously obtained data (standard). An important concomitant purpose was to demonstrate the method of detecting rhythmic structures: ways of processing empirical material, intonational and thematic-rhematic qualification of syntagmas, detecting their interaction, and then – interpreting the semantic and evaluative differences of the standard and precedent and searching for humorous content in the latter. The results of the analysis allow confirming the possibility of finding correlation between prosodic rhythm and humor. In the analyzed message, we identified the following rhythmic markers of humor. Creatable rhematization of the initial syntagma forms a symmetrical rhythmic structure within the phrase, which focuses the listener's attention on the unexpected phrase fragment. The contrast is thus the basis of a humorous assessment. The grouping of syntagmas within a phrase and the choice of IF for the design of these syntagmas demonstrates a newscaster’s assessment, such as mockery. Symmetric phrases formed around “IF-3+contrast” syntagma type create an intrigue regarding new fact for the audience. Further empirical analysis will help to deepen our ideas about humor as a communicative resource in a digital news environment and to identify new mechanisms for the rhythmic organization of media texts.

KW - media speech

KW - humor

KW - prosodic

KW - radio news rhythm

KW - prosodic markers of humor

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9788689431391

SP - 134

EP - 147

BT - SPEECH AND LANGUAGE 2019

A2 - Subotić, Miško

A2 - Maksimović, Slavica

PB - IEFPG Beograd

CY - Beograd

Y2 - 31 October 2019 through 3 November 2019

ER -