A STUDY ON HOW SCRIPTWRITERS FLOUT CERTAIN MAXIMS OF GRICE’S COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLE TO CREATE VERBAL IRONY THROUGH THE SITCOM FRIENDS FROM EPISODE 1 TO EPISODE 10

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE PROGRAM


ĐÀO THỊ VÂN HỒNG



A STUDY ON HOW SCRIPTWRITERS FLOUT CERTAIN
MAXIMS OF GRICE’S COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLE TO
CREATE VERBAL IRONY THROUGH THE SITCOM
“FRIENDS” FROM EPISODE 1 TO EPISODE 10.

(NGHIÊN CỨU VIỆC CHỦ Ý VI PHẠM MỘT SỐ PHƯƠNG CHÂM HỘI
THOẠI TRONG NGUYÊN TẮC HỢP TÁC CỦA GRICE ĐỂ TẠO NÊN
TÍNH MỈA MAI QUA KỊCH BẢN CỦA LOẠT HÀI KỊCH TÌNH HUỐNG
“FRIENDS” TỪ HỒI 1 ĐẾN HỒI 10).

M.A. THESIS (COMBINED WORK)


Field: Linguistics
Code: 60 2215

Hanoi - 2010

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE PROGRAM


ĐÀO THỊ VÂN HỒNG



A STUDY ON HOW SCRIPTWRITERS FLOUT CERTAIN
MAXIMS OF GRICE’S COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLE TO
CREATE VERBAL IRONY THROUGH THE SITCOM
“FRIENDS” FROM EPISODE 1 TO EPISODE 10.

(NGHIÊN CỨU VIỆC CHỦ Ý VI PHẠM MỘT SỐ PHƯƠNG CHÂM HỘI
THOẠI TRONG NGUYÊN TẮC HỢP TÁC CỦA GRICE ĐỂ TẠO NÊN
TÍNH MỈA MAI QUA KỊCH BẢN CỦA LOẠT HÀI KỊCH TÌNH HUỐNG
“FRIENDS” TỪ HỒI 1 ĐẾN HỒI 10).

M.A. THESIS (COMBINED WORK)


Field: Linguistics
Code: 60 2215
Supervisor: Dr. Assoc. Prof. Trần Xuân Điệp

Hanoi - 2010
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TABLE OF CONTENT

PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1. Rationale 1
1.2. Aims of the study 2
1.3. Research questions 2
1.4. Significance of the study 2
1.4.1. In theory 2
1.4.2. In practice 3
1.5. Scope of the study 3
1.6. Design of the study 4
PART 2: THE DEVELOPMENT 5
CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 5
1.1. Implicature 5
1.1.1. Definition of implicature 5
1.1.2. Implicature and inference 6
1.1.3. Types of implicature 7
1.2. Grice’s cooperative principle 8
1.2.1. Conversational maxims 8
1.2.1.1. The maxim of quality 8
1.2.1.2. The maxim of quantity 9
1.2.1.3. The maxim of relation 10
1.2.1.4. The maxim of manner 10
1.2.2. Observing the maxims 11
1.2.3. Non-observances of the maxims 11

1.2.3.1. Flouting a maxim 12
1.2.3.2. Violating a maxim 12
1.2.3.3. Infringing a maxim 13
1.2.3.4. Opting out of a maxim 13
1.2.3.5. Suspending a maxim 14
1.2.4. Flouts exploiting the maxims 15
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1.2.4.1. Flouts exploiting the maxim of quality 15
1.2.4.2. Flouts exploiting the maxim of quantity 16
1.2.4.3. Flouts exploiting the maxim of relevance 16
1.2.4.4. Flouts exploiting the maxim of manner 17
1.3. Irony 19
1.3.1. Ironology: A history of irony 19
1.3.2. Definition of irony 20
1.3.3. Taxonomy of irony 22
1.3.4. The risks and rewards of ironic communication 24
1.3.4.1. The risks of ironic communication 24
1.3.4.2. The rewards of ironic communication 26
1.3.5. Self-directed irony 27
CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY 29
2.1. Methodology 29
2.1.1. Qualitative and quantitative methods 29
2.1.2. Some supplementary techniques 30
2.2. An introduction to American sitcoms and the sitcom “Friends” 30
2.2.1. Definition of sitcoms 30
2.2.2. Characteristics of American sitcoms 31
2.2.2.1. Common characteristics of sitcoms 31
2.2.2.2. Characteristics of American sitcoms 32
2.2.3. The sitcom “Friends” 33

2.2.3.1. Main characters 33
2.2.3.2. First season sypnose 34
2.3. Findings and discussion 35
2.3.1. Findings 35
2.3.1.1. The analysis on situations which flout the maxim of quality 36
2.3.1.2. The analysis on situations which flout the maxim of quantity 49
2.3.1.3. The analysis on situations which flout the maxim of relation 54
2.3.1.4. The analysis on situations which flout the maxim of manner 60
2.3.2. Discussion 65
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PART 3: THE CONCLUSION 68
3.1. Recapitulation of main ideas 68
3.2. Limitations of the study 69
3.3. Suggestions for further research 69
Appendix