It's no laughing matter: A pragmatic study on honorific markers in Cebuano jokes

• Main Authors: Pariña, Jose Cristina M., Abatayo, Junifer
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Cebuano language—Honorific; Philippine wit and humor; Discourse and Text Linguistics; Linguistics; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/13535
• Institution: De La Salle University

Philippine languages, just like many European and Asian languages, are characterized with the presence of honorific markers in conversations as a sign of respect and politeness. In line with this, the much-celebrated study of Brown and Gilman (1972 cited in Fasold, 1990) provides a universal V and T system to mark power and solidarity between interlocutors. This system may be applied in many Philippine languages for pluralized pronouns (V) are indeed used when addressing older people or people of higher ranks. But aside from pronouns, honorific markers may also be realized with the use of other parts of speech such as nominals (kuya, dong) and adverbials (po, opo) (Schachter & Otanes, 1972). These markers have been greatly studied in conversations, either face-to-face or telephone. With this as background, a research gap has been identified since these honorific markers were also observed in other genres such as in jokes specifically Cebuano jokes, yet their purpose in this genre is completely different compared to their use in conversations. Jokes are meant to elicit laughter, honorific markers are meant for respect, but the present day Cebuano jokes have many underlying meanings, which are further realized with the help of the said markers. The researchers used the triangulation method - open-ended interviews direct observation and case study in order to analyze the underlying meanings of these Cebuano jokes. The descriptive analysis shows that, honorific markers in this type of genre are used not to exhibit respect, but to exhibit pun, sarcasm, inequality and discrimination. In the same way, these jokes are not entirely for laughter but mainly for persuasion. The giver of the jokes may try to coat the language using exaggeration, irony, respectful markers and analogy, but the giver is actually trying to convince the receiver to believe in his/her opinion and to be swayed to his/her point of view.