Dark Humor on Reddit: A Pragmatic Linguistic Analysis
Dark Humor on Reddit: A Pragmatic Linguistic Analysis

Summary/Abstract: This study investigates how black humor on Reddit uses pragmatic violations and language strategies to achieve its desired impact. The study examines how violations of conversational maxims—quality, quantity, relevance, and manner—affect the effectiveness of humor, with a particular focus on Grice's Cooperative Principle. The study uses a pragmatic language analysis of the selected Reddit postings to identify patterns in which users purposefully deviate from these maxims to cause surprise, subversion, and discomfort, all of which are characteristics of black humor. Furthermore, the study examines the most prevalent language methods employed in black humor, including irony, euphemism, metaphor, and hyperbole. By examining humor in a digital setting, this article sheds light on the complex relationship between language, cultural taboos, and humor, providing insights into how online communities manage delicate themes through comic conversation. The results illustrate how language is strategically employed in black humor and emphasize its applicability in the larger context of pragmatics and digital communication.

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