摘要:网络时代的迅速发展造就了美国情景喜剧在中国年轻一代的广泛流传。《老友记》是美国情景喜剧的经典之作,开播十几年来赢尽无数掌声。
中国学生深受其美式幽默的吸引,同时因为其地道的美式发音和贴近生活的对话,英语老师也把《老友记》当作绝佳的英语教材。幽默的台词、鲜明的人物性格以及演员的精彩演绎都是其成功的要素。其中,幽默的台词则是其他剧集难以超越的经典。其幽默的对白运用了许多表现手法,而双关语是其中最亮眼的增色剂。《老友记》的双关语俯拾皆是、丰富多彩,可以大致分为语音双关、语义双关、语法双关、仿拟双关以及语义歧解双关。本文通过对剧中双关语的独特修辞功能研究,读者不仅可以更深一步了解美国文化,尤其是美式幽默文化,而且可以更深刻理解美语的特点,感受双关语的语言魅力,从而提高语言鉴赏和表达能力。
关键词:老友记; 双关语; 语音双关; 语义双关; 修辞功能
Abstract:With the rapid development of the cyber age, American Situation Comedy is getting more and more popular among younger generation in China. Friends, as a classic of American Situation Comedy, has won uncounted applause from audience since it was presented seventeen years ago. Chinese students feel a strong affinity to American humor. Meanwhile, English teachers regard it as an excellent teaching material due to its authentic American accent and the dialogue that is close to life. Humorous dialogue,vivid characters and excellent acting are the key factors to the success of Friends, among which, humorous dialogue is the most significant factor that other situation comedies cannot exceed. Friends’ dialogue uses various techniques of expression, of which, pun is one of the most eye-catching coloring adjuncts among the language instruments. Puns in Friends are extremely common. They are varied and colorful. Puns in Friends can be divided into five kinds, and they are homophone, homograph, parody, grammar twisted meaning and grammar puns. This article, through studying the distinctive rhetorical functions of puns in Friends, helps readers not only further understand American culture, especially American humor, but also better catch the characteristics of American English and learn to appreciate the charm of puns. Consequently, readers may cultivate the appreciation of language and improve the language competence.
Key words: Friends; Puns; Homophone;Homograph; Rhetorical function