The Humor Techniques of Presupposition Deviations in The Konto Manzai of Sandwichman

Abstract

This research explores the humor technique of distorting presuppositions in Sandwichman's konto manzai. In communication, interlocutors often rely on certain assumptions to interpret a speaker's intentions, known as presuppositions. Humor doesn't just deviate from the semantic aspects of language; it also deviates from the rules of pragmatics. In Japan, humor is a highly popular form of entertainment, with various types like dokkiri, rakugo, shabekuri,     konto manzai, and more. Manzai, a particular style of comedy show, is especially well- received. This research is intriguing because it sheds light on humor techniques from the perspective of presuppositional deviation. The analysis of presuppositional deviations is grounded in Yule's presupposition theory and Arthur Asa Berger's theory of humor techniques. The goal of this study is to describe the humorous technique of distorting presuppositions in Sandwichman's konto manzai. We employ a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. The data utilized consists of speech in konto manzai that exhibits deviations in presuppositions, along with the humor techniques stemming from these deviations. The results reveal the presence of 50 data points with presupposition deviations. Among these, 11 distinct humor techniques related to presupposition deviations in Sandwichman's konto manzai are identified.