Axiological characteristics of the concept of cruelty in modern English-language humorous discourse

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the features of the comic objectification of the concept of cruelty in terms of axiological linguistics. The concept of cruelty is considered as a value of modern English humorous discourse. The present article is based on the axiological approach to the study of humor that consists of assessing the reaction embracing viewers response to cruelty through comically significant cognitive markers related to identifying language and non-language means of actualizing the concept of cruelty. The corpus of the research comprises recordings and scripts of more than 70 episodes from stand-up comedies and more than 500 episodes of various situational comedies. Besides laughter during the manifestation of cruelty is also often accompanied by applauding from the audience. The main key cognitive markers of the value cruelty concept within the framework of humorous type of discourse are: lack of compassion and sympathy; causing physical or mental pain; manifestation of injustice or dishonesty. Lack of compassion and sympathy is usually expressed through: taking pleasure in the pain caused; unreasonable, intentional and regular causing of severe pain or suffering; misunderstanding (misidentification) of their own cruelty. Causing physical or mental pain is usually actualized through: physical impact on a person; infliction of mental suffering; murder. In modern humorous English discourse, unfair manifestation of cruelty relates mainly to concerns mostly physically weak people. In humorous discourse the value concept of cruelty is expressed both verbally (description of cruel actions; statement of positive emotions derived from cruelty; enumeration of committed or alleged acts; manifestation of cruelty; etc.) and non-verbally (demonstration of the intention to commit a cruel act or the result of this act, the performance of cruelty).