A PRAGMATIC INTERPRETATION OF VERBAL SEXIST HUMOUR IN KENYAN STAND-UP COMEDY: A CASE OF THE CHURCHILL SHOW

Abstract

This study examined verbal sexist humour in live performances on The Churchill Show which aired on TV47 in Kenya, focusing on episodes in November 2023. Drawing upon the theories of Conversational Implicature by Paul Grice (1975) and Norman Fairclough’s (2001) sociocultural approach to Critical Discourse Analysis, the study investigated a pragmatic interpretation of verbal sexist humour in Kenyan stand-up comedy: The Churchill Show. A descriptive research design was used. Utilizing purposive sampling, 25 humorous utterances that met specific inclusion criteria were selected for analysis. The study aimed to achieve three primary objectives: to describe linguistic strategies employed by selected stand-up comedians in their live performances on The Churchill Show on TV47 to construct verbal sexist humour; to analyze sexist inferences underlying live comedic performances of selected stand-up comedians on The Churchill Show on TV47; and to determine the sexist implicatures that manifest in live performances by selected stand-up comedians on The Churchill Show on TV47 as a result of flouting conversational maxims. To achieve these ojectives, primary data gathered from the show was analyzed using content analysis. By employing a pragmatic approach, the study aimed at offering insights into the sociocultural dynamics at play in the interpretation of verbal sexist humour, while also considering the unique cultural and contextual elements specific to Kenyan stand-up comedy. It was observed that comedians use various linguistic strategies to create verbal sexist humour. Such strategies include: juxtaposition, similes, metaphors, hyperbole, ambiguity, wordplay and pun, irony, and satire. Such strategies are not merely for comedic effect but also serve to embed and perpetuate certain sexist stereotypes and ideologies. Findings from data analysis revealed the perpetuation of sexist stereotypes targeting men and women. The analysis of comedic discourses from The Churchill Show revealed a pattern of reinforcing sexist stereotypes and ideologies through flouting of the conversational maxims. For instance, comedians frequently violate Grice’s maxims of quantity, quality, relation, and manner to generate humour that has underlying sexist implications. The findings of the study contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities of humour, gender representation, and language within the realm of Kenyan stand-up comedy, with implications for both academic discourse and societal understanding of gender dynamics in comedic discourse. The study provides a nuanced perspective on how humour can simultaneously entertain and perpetuate cultural stereotypes.