CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

3.1 Library Research This analysis uses qualitative approach. The writer describes all the participants utterances in humorous text in Readers Digest. The writer uses descriptive research method to describe the contexts and how the text interprets the humor in the joke conversation in Readers Digest. After that, the writer analyzes all sentences and describes what made those conversations become humorous.

3.2 Data Collecting Method In collecting the data, the writer discusses three things. First, the writer explains the data and source of data. Second, the writer describes the instrument that is used in this research. The last thing that is discussed by the writer is method of data collection. The writer chooses the joke in humorous text in Readers Digest in the form of dialogue only, the source data are collected from Readers Digest edition on August 2010, September 2010, October 2010, November 2010, and December 2010. The data are utterances in fifteen jokes that contained humorous effect. The writer studies the conversations between the participants that related to pragmatic and humor.

As it is a qualitative research, the writer becomes the human instrument to solve the problem. The writer analyzes the utterances to find the answers of the research questions by using her knowledge. The writer uses the techniques of document analysis to collect the data. These are steps in collecting the data. 1. Making a clipping of jokes from four months (August 2010, September, October, November, and December 2010) of the humorous text in Readers Digest magazine. 2. Selecting jokes only in the form of dialogue to be analyzed. 3. Giving the coding for those humors based on the edition of the magazine. 4. And the last step is identifying the utterances of the participants that created humor

3.3 Data Analysis Method After collecting the data, the writer analyzes the data. In analyzing the data, the writer does several steps. First, describes the context of each conversation in humorous text in Readers Digest by pragmatic theory. Second, describes how the humor is interpreted in the text and what make those conversations become humorous. Finally, put the answers in the data findings and analysis to ease the reader in reading the findings.

CHAPTER IV PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF HUMOROUS TEXT IN READERS DIGEST MAGAZINE

4.1 Data Findings and Analysis Datum 1 (August 2010) Our receptionist had the password mickeyminniebatmanrobintomjerryLondon. I asked her why it needed to be so long. Because I was told it had to have at least six characters and one capital, she said.

Analysis The context of the text humor above is conversation between a hotel receptionist and a guest in the hotel. The receptionist has the password mickeyminniebatmanrobintomjerryLondon. The guest wonders why the password is so long. The humor is interpreted in the text through the different perception between the receptionist and the guest about password. The different perception is on the password itself. The password is

mickeyminniebatmanrobintomjerryLondon. The guest asks to the receptionist why the password is so long because he wonders and he has never found the password so long. The receptionist answers why she has the password so long because she was told that the password had to have at least six characters and

one capital, so she mentions six characters that is names of persons (mickey, minnie, batman, robin, tom, jerry), and one capital which she means capital city of the country, named London. The humorous part is in the last sentence of the text that was said by the receptionist. She says the reason why the password needed to be so long because she was told that the password had to have at least six characters and one capital, so she has the password

mickeyminniebatmanrobintomjerryLondon. In her mind, she has to put six characters which she means names of person, and one capital which she means capital city of a country, while actually character in password means letter and capital means capital letter.

Datum 2 (September 2010) Our elderly neighbor had had enough of kids jumping over her fence and damaging her garden, so she informed the community police officer. Did you recognize any of them? he asked. Im pretty certain one of them is called Nicky, she replied. How can you be so sure? It was embroidered on his top, my neighbor replied. The young officer thought for a while then asked her to spell it. N, I, K, E, she replied confidently.

Analysis The context of the text humor above is a conversation between an elderly womans neighbor, an elderly woman, and police officer. They talk about the kids who jump over an elderly womans fence and damage her garden. The humor is interpreted in the text through the womans wrong perciption about the word that embroidered on the kidss top. The woman informs the community police officer because there are kids who jump over her fence and damage her garden. The police officer asks to the woman if she recognizes any of the kids or not, and then the woman says that she is pretty certain that one of the kids is called Nicky. The womans statement makes the police curious to know how the woman is so sure that one of the kids is called Nicky. The woman explains the reason why she is pretty certain that one of the kids is called Nicky, the reason is because it is embroidered on the kids

top. The police officer asks the woman to spell the word which is embroidered on the kids top, and then she spells it N-I-K-E. The humorous part is when the elderly woman spells N-I-K-E that she thinks it is name of one of the kids. The elderly woman is pretty certain that one of the kids called Nicky because she sees that the word NIKE is embroidered in his top, so she is sure that his name is Nicky. Actually NIKE is the name of brand. In the elderly womans mind, NIKE in the kids top is the name of the kid because NIKE and Nicky have the same pronounciation /naIki:/, unfortunately NIKE is a brand of the kids hat.

Datum 3 (September 2010) My ill health had prevented me and my husband for some months. But Id made a complete recovery and was delighted when, while finishing the washing up one evening, I heard my husband say, Would you like to go out, girl? Id love to, I replied immediately. We had a wonderful meal out and it wasnt until the end of the evening that my husband confessed, Actually, I was talking to the dog.

Analysis The context of conversation above is between husband and wife in their home. The husband asks to someone Would you like to go out, girl? at the time his wife is finishing the washing up and she hears her husband

asks someone to go out. The wife immediately replies that she would love to without exactly knowing to whom her husband asks to. The humor is interpreted in the text through misunderstanding between the husband and his wife. The misunderstanding is on the word girl in the husbands question. The husband asks to someone Would you like to go out, girl? when his wife is finishing the washing up and she hears her husband asks someone to go out. The word girl in the husbands question refers to his dog while his wife thinks that the word girl in her husbands question refers to her, because at that time she does not see to whom actually her husband talks to. The humorous part is when the husband honestly says to his wife that actually he talks to the dog when her wife is finishing the washing up. The husband asks to the dog Would you like to go out, girl?, whereas the wife finishes the washing up and hears her husband asks to someone, she thinks that her husband asks to her, so that she immediately replies that she would love to.

Datum 4 (September 2010) As I was admitted to the hospital prior to a procedure, the clerk asked for my wrist, saying, Im going to give you a bracelet. Has it got rubies and diamonds? I asked coyly. No, he said. But it costs just as much.

Analysis The context of conversation above is between the clerk and a patient in the hospital. The clerk asks to the patient that he is going to give him a bracelet, which is a kind of plastick bracelet with the name of patient on it. The humor is interpreted in the text through misunderstanding of the patience about the bracelet which the clerk wants to give. The patient asks to the clerk in order to know that the bracelet which is going to give to him has got rubies and diamonds or not. The clerk answers the question by saying the bracelet has not got rubies and diamonds, but it costs just as much. The humorous part is in the last sentece of the clerk, that is but it costs just as much. His statement means that he is not going to give the patient a bracelet with rubies and diamonds, but it costs just as much because the hospital fees could be expensive as rubies or diamonds.

Datum 5 (October 2010) At our supermarket, I noticed a woman with four boys and a baby. Her patience was wearing thin as the boys called out, "Mommy! Mommy!" while she tried to shop. Finally, she blurted out, "I don't want to hear the word mommy for at least ten minutes!" The boys fell silent for a few seconds. Then one tugged on his mother's dress and said softly, "Excuse me, miss."

Analysis The context of conversation above is between a woman and her boys when they are shopping at supermarket. The womans patience wears thin as the boys call out "Mommy! Mommy!", while she tries to shop. Finally she blurts out "I don't want to hear the word mommy for at least ten minutes!", and the boys fell silent for a few seconds, after that one tugs on his mothers dress and says softly "Excuse me, miss.". The humor is interpreted through the conversation when a woman blurts out to her boys that she does not want the word mommy for at least ten minutes, it means she does not want the boys call her, on the other hand she forbids her boys to call her because she is shopping. While the boys fall silent for a few seconds then one tugs on the womans dress and says softly "Excuse me, miss".

The humorous part is in the last sentence of the boy. The boy calls his mother with miss, it is because his mother says that she does not want the word mommy for at least ten minutes, so he does not call his mother with mommy but miss.

Datum 6 (October 2010) My two-year-old niece Susan asked her mother why she was ironing the clothes. To keep the clothes neat and tidy, her mother answered. Susan went quiet for a while and then asked, Then why dont you iron Dad?

Analysis The context of conversation above is between two-year-old Susan and her mother. Susan asks to her mother why her mother was ironing the clothes. Her mother answers that she was ironing to keep the clothes neat and tidy. Susan goes quiet for a while and then asks innocently again to her mother why her mother does not iron her dad. The humor is interpreted through what is on Susans mind about ironing. In her opinion, if we want something become neat and tidy, we should iron it. So, she asks to her mother why her mother does not iron her dad, she thinks if her mother does, her dad will become neat and tidy. The humorous part can be seen from Susans innocent question when her mother tells to her about why her mother was ironing the clothes; Then why dont you iron Dad?. In her opinion, if we want something become neat

and tidy, we should iron it. As a two-year-old, she does not know that ironing is only for making the clothes neat and tidy, but not for making a person becomes neat and tidy.

Datum 7 (October 2010) A man hasnt been feeling well, so he goes to his doctor for a complete check-up. Afterwards, the doctor comes out with the results. Im afraid I have some very bad news, the doctor says. Youre dying, and you dont have much time left. Oh, thats terrible! says the man. How long have I got? Ten, the doctor says sadly. Ten? the man asks. Ten what? Months? Weeks? What?! The doctor interrupts, Nine

Analysis The context of conversation above is between a doctor and his patient. A man does not feel well, so he goes to his doctor for a complete check-up. Afterwards, the doctor comes out with the results. The doctor says that he has bad news for the patient. He says that the patient is dying and does not have much time left. After hearing the doctors information, the patient asks to the doctor how long has he got, but the doctor only says sadly ten. The patient is eager to know about what the doctor means by saying ten, so he asks to the

doctor Ten what? Months? Weeks? What?!. The doctor interrupts by saying Nine. The humor is interpreted in the text through all the answers from the doctor. The doctor informs that the mans time may be only about ten seconds left, and then nine seconds left, because he just replies the mans questions with ten, and then nine, it means ten seconds left, and nine seconds left. The humorous part is in the last sentence of the man and the last sentence of the doctor. The man asks with curious, while the doctor only answers with ten, and then nine, it means ten seconds left, and nine seconds left. So in one second left, the man will die.

Datum 8 (October 2010) Watching a movie recently, I couldn't hear the dialogue over the chatter of the two women in front of me. Unable to bear it any longer, I tapped one of them on the shoulder. "Excuse me," I said. "I can't hear." "I should hope not," she answered. "This is a private conversation."

Analysis The context of the conversation above is between a man and women, they are audiences in the cinema. Watching a movie recently, I cannot hear the dialogue over the chatter of the two women in front of him. He is unable to bear it any longer, he taps one of the women shoulder Excuse me, I can't hear. He does it in order to ask the two women to stop their chatting because

it is disturbing him in watching the movie, while the woman answers by saying "I should hope not" and "This is a private conversation". The humorous part is from the misconnection between what I says with the response from the woman. I watch the movie recently; he cannot hear the dialogue over the chatter of the women in front of him, so he says to one of the women I cant hear in order to ask the two women to stop their chatting because it is disturbing him. Unfortunately, the woman does not recognize that I complains about their chatter and I wants they stop their chatter, she just answers that she hope that I could not hear what they chatting about, because it is a private conversation. Misconnection is happened here, it supports the humorous part of the conversation above.

Datum 9 (November 2010) A doctor is called to a seriously ill patient. He dashes into the room, sits down on the patients bed, then after a few minutes calls out the door: Please give me a hammer. The relatives are surprised by the request, but the doctors word is an order. A little later, he again looks out the door, Quickly, a pair of pincers! They hand him one of those too with urgency, but in a little while, the doctor again begins to yell: Now a chisel, hurry! Concerned, they asked, But doctor, for Gods sake, what are you doing in there? He answered, I cant open my bag!

Analysis The context of the text humor above is conversation between a doctor and the patiences relative in the hospital. The humor is interpreted in the text through the different perception between the doctor and the patiences relative in the hospital, because the doctor orders a hammer, a pair of pincers, and a chisel when he is checking up the seriously ill patient. The humorous part is when the relatives are surprised by the request of the doctor, but actually doctor can not open his bag, so that he orders a hammer, a pair of pincers, and a chisel.

Datum 10 (November 2010) I should have known better than to take my four-year-old son shopping with me. I spent the entire time in the mall chasing after him. Finally, Id had it. Do you want a stranger to take you?! I scolded. Thrilled, he yelled back, Will he take me to the zoo?

Analysis The context of the conversation above is between a woman and her four-year-old son. The humor is interpreted in the text through a woman wants to frighten her four-year-old son, because she spends the entire time in the mall cashing after him, so she frightens her son by asking him that does he want if

a stranger take him. The boy thrills but he yells back Will he take me to the zoo?. The humorous part is in the last question of the boy. His mother wants to frighten him with saying that a stranger will take him, but he yells with asking to her mother if a stranger take him, will he take him to the zoo.

Datum 11

(November 2010)

While my husband and I were busy choosing an air-conditioner to buy in the store, our six-year-old son was wandering around when he spotted a very inviting spa bed. We overheard the saleslady says to him, Do you know whats written there? It says Thank you for not sitting. He answered innocently, Yes, I know. Thats why I am lying down.

Analysis The context of the conversation above is between a six-year-old son and a saleslady in the store. The humor is interpreted in the text through when the six-year-old boy sees the sign Thank you for not sitting that is place around the very inviting spa bed, the boy thinks that he can not sit on the spa bed, but he can lay down on it. In his opinion, the sign shows that he deeds was okay, in other words his deed is right. The humor is playing on the boys innocent answer when the saleslady says to him, Do you know whats written there? It says Thank

you for not sitting., the boy answers Yes, I know. Thats why I am lying down. In his opinion, the sign shows that lying on that spa bed is okay, in other words his deed was right. Actually, the saleslady says to him about what is written on the sign in order to forbid him not to lay down on the spa bed, because the statement on the sign shows the implicit meaning that do not do all activities on that spa bed, but the boy answers innocently, Yes, I know. Thats why I am lying down, because in his thought the sign does not forbid him not to lay on the spa bed.

Datum 12

(December 2010)

The first time my son was on a bike with training wheels, I shouted, "Step back on the pedals and the bike will brake!" He nodded but still rode straight into a bush. "Why didn't you push back on the pedals?" I asked, helping him up. "You said if I did, the bike would break."

Analysis The context of the conversation above is between a man and his son when the son is in the first time on a bike with training wheels. The humor is interpreted in the text through when the son hears his father shouting that he steps back on the pedals and the bike will brake; the son thinks that he cannot push back on the pedals because if he does, the bike will break. In his opinion, the shouting tells that cannot push back on

the pedals. The son nods but still rode straight into a bush, because in his thought if he pushes back on the pedals, the bike will break. The humorous part is when the son thinks his father says break, but actually the father says brake. So the humor is by playing on the hearing of the words brake and break, because brake and break have the same pronounciation /breIk/. His father says Step back on the pedals and the bike will brake, in order to inform him that he should step back on the pedals so that the bike will automatically brake. Unfortunately, the son thinks his father says Step back on the pedals and the bike will break, he interprets that statement with he cannot step back on the pedals, because if he does, the bike will break. So, he rides straight into a bush again.

Datum 13

(December 2010)

My sister explained to my nephew how his voice would eventually change as he grew up. Tyler was exuberant at the prospect. "Cool!" he said. "I hope I get a German accent."

Analysis The context of conversation above is between a woman and his son. The humorous part is from what the nephew catch from the woman explanation about the voice that would eventually change as he grows up.

He is exuberant when he hears the woman explanation, because in her mind the changing is in accent, so he hopes that his voice will change to be a German accent.

Datum 14

(December 2010)

I love making clothes for my five-year-old granddaughter. And she, in turn, always seems happy to accept them. The other day, I asked if she would like me to make her a skirt.

"Yes," she said. "But this time, could you make it look like it came from a store?"

Analysis The context of the conversation above is between a grandmother and her five-year-old granddaughter. The woman loves making clothes for her granddaughter. Her granddaughter always seems happy to accept them. The humorous part is when the five-year-old granddaughter says about honestly to say that she wants that this time the cloth that her grandmother makes look like from a store. It means the clothes that her grandmother makes are not look like came from a store, or in the other hand these are not as good as comes from a store.

Datum 15

(December 2010)

As the stranger enters a country store, he spots a sign: "Danger! Beware of Dog!" Inside, he sees a harmless old hound asleep in the middle of the floor. "Is that the dog we're supposed to beware of?" he asks the owner. "That's him," comes the reply. "He doesn't look dangerous to me. Why would you post that sign?" "Before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him." Analysis The context of the conversation above is between a stranger and the owner in the country store. The humorous part is from the last sentence of the owner. The owner tells to the stranger that the reason why he posts the sign Danger! Beware of Dog is because before he post that sign, people keep tripping over him. It is because a harmless old hound asleep in the middle of the floor and maybe people do not know that there is a dog. Actually, it is not because the dog is dangerous but he posts that sign just in order to inform people who enters that country store know that there is a dog, so that they do not trip over his dog. The humor is interpreted through the sign Danger! Beware of Dog! As the stranger enters a country store, he spots a sign that says it is danger, beware of dog. The sign is giving a warning. The boy sees that a harmless

old hound does not look dangerous to him, so he asks to the owner "He doesn't look dangerous to me. Why would you post that sign?".

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

5.1 Conclusions Humor is one of many other ways to relaxation. In this thesis, the humors are analyzed through Pragmatic. It can be concluded that humorous part in each humor is interpreted in the text through misunderstanding that happened between the participants in the particular context. Pragmatic interprets what the speakers mean in a particular context and how the context influences what is said. The misunderstanding between the participants is the main influence of humor in the data of this thesis. How speakers arrange what they want to say in line with whom they are talking to, where, when, and under what situation are also influence the humor.

5.2 Suggestions Analyzing humor through Pragmatic is a very interesting research. There are other forms of humors that can be analyzed through Pragmatic. Thus, it is suggested to those who are interested in analyzing humor through pragmatics to make others analysis that can be analyzed from comedy in television, humor in newspaper, etc.