Abstract:Humor acts as a sort of flavoring agent among people in daily life and plays a role like lubricants in interpersonal relationships, showing humorous attraction, coordinating tense atmosphere, and creating certain connotations. Much attention has long been attracted to the study of language and humor. Joe Wong’s talk show in White House is a splendid example showing a great charm of humor. This thesis is intended to analyze the humor delivered from Joe Wong’s talk show in White House from the perspective of Speech Act Theory. Based on Searle’s classification of illocutionary acts, it sets its focus mainly on the representatives, commissives and expressives in the talk show to explore the production of humor.

Key words: Humor; Joe Wong’s talk show; Speech Act Theory

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-1

2.1 Previous Studies on Humor from the Perspective of Speech Act Theory-1

2.2 Studies on Joe Wong and His Talk Show in White House-2

3. Language Humor & Speech Act Theory-3

3.1 The Definition, Causes, and Functions of Humor-3

3.2 An Introduction to Speech Act Theory and the Speech-act- theory-based Studies on Humor-4

4. An Analysis of Joe Wong’s Talk Show from the Perspective of Speech Act Theory-6

4.1 Humor in Representatives-6

4.2 Humor in Commissives-9

4.3 Humor in Expressives-11

5. Conclusion-13

Works Cited-14