合作原则视域下《致命女人》的会话含义分析
摘要:遵守或违反合作原则都有可能产生会话含义,但违反合作原则所产生含义的意义更为重大。本文基于《致命女人》(Why women kill)台词语料,从合作原则的违反角度对其中的会话进行分析,剖析其中丰富的会话含义,从而解读人物的鲜明性格特征和社会关系。
关键字:合作原则;《致命女人》;会话含义;违反
一、引言
美剧《致命女人》作为一部黑喜剧,讲述了同一栋豪宅里,三个不同时代,发生在三位不同的女主角身上的感情和婚姻故事。本文拟从语用学视角,运用合作原则对《致命女人第一季》的人物会话进行分析,以探析其中的会话含义以及人物形象。
二、《致命女人》中违反合作原则的会话分析
(一)数量准则的违反
Leo:What do you do for a living?
Rob:I'm in aerospace engineering. Ever hear of Cyther-Tech?
罗伯夫妇搬来新街区后,利奥夫妇第一次来到罗伯家做客。当利奥问到罗伯做什么工作时,罗伯所提供的信息已经足够,但他还问利奥是否听说过塞特科技公司,罗伯违反了数量准则。他这样说不过是为了炫耀自己,这也反映了他自大自傲的性格特点。
Duke:You must be the fuck buddy.
Taylor:And you must be Duke, the two-time felon . Those were both felonies , right? So if I were to call the cops and they came here to see you committing a third assault, that sounds like three strikes to me. This is the part where you walk away to avoid going to prison.
杰德的前男友杜克打算以暴力的方式处理和杰德的关系。泰勒想要保护丈夫和女情人杰德,走到家门口和杜克当面对质,此时她违反了数量准则。泰勒光凭几句话就恐吓住了暴力男杜克,可见她充满智慧与力量的现代女性形象。
Taylor:I saved you. I brought you into my home.
Jade:You did that for yourself, not for me. Your marriage was falling apart and you needed a distraction. Eli wasn't writing or making money, and you were so angry you could barely even look at him. By the way, I'm the one who got him writing again. I did that for you. You're welcome.
杰德的回复超过了所需提供的信息量,违反了数量准则。她为了能够继续寄居在泰勒家,故意激怒泰勒。杰德外表魅力,在和泰勒的谈话中也逐渐暴露了她的恶毒本质。
(二)质量准则的违反
例1:Simone:Oh. The phone is going to ring any second. It'll be Henri, my hairdresser , and he will be livid.
Karl:What have you done?
Simone:I’m 20 minutes late. Again. He's gonna try to say he's given away my appointment. Don't let him. Insist I left an hour ago, and that you're beyond frantic.
西蒙妮在明明知道自己迟到二十分钟的情况下,仍然让自己的丈夫卡尔帮忙说假话,坚称其一小时以前就出门了。无疑,西蒙妮违反了质量准则。
Tommy:Mrs. Grove? Is, uh, is everything okay?
Simone:Everything's fine. Absolutely fine. I'm happy.
西蒙妮无意得知丈夫是个同性恋,这让她既震惊又愤怒。西蒙妮面对吉米的询问立马恢复自信优雅的笑容,并告诉吉米自己很开心。很明显,西蒙妮违反了质量原则。
Margaret:Simone, what happened?
Simone:Oh, it was the silliest thing. Karl slipped coming down the stairs. Nothing to worry about. He just hit his head.
卡尔是同性恋的秘密被西蒙妮发现后,为了挽留西蒙妮,服下了。在卡尔被抬上救护车的担架上时,对于赶来围观的邻居,西蒙妮谎称丈夫只是不小心撞到了头,以免引起邻居怀疑。西蒙妮违反了质量准则。
Naomi: What have you done?
Karl:I'm so sorry. I-I swerved to avoid a kitten .
卡尔为了帮塞蒙妮解围,故意撞上了纳奥米的车,但他却解释是为了躲一只小猫打方向盘才撞上的,他违反了质量原则。因为只有这样说,塞蒙妮才能得有机会成功脱困。
Rob: Oh, my God. Are you sick?
Beth: Yes. I'm sick.
吉米是男是女Rob: Baby, what's wrong?
Rob: I have cancer.
贝丝身体健康,却告知丈夫自己得了癌症。贝丝违反了质量准则。因为她害怕丈夫知道情人怀孕后就离开自己,她撒谎只是为了能够留住丈夫。
(三)关系准则的违反
Karl: Where have you been?
Simone: You committed adultery , Karl. That means you're no longer entitled to keep tabs on my life.
塞蒙妮背着丈夫和吉米偷情后回到家,卡尔想要知道她的行踪。但她没有直接告诉丈夫自己究竟去了哪里,而是转移了话题。此处塞蒙妮违反了关系准则。顾左右言其他,以掩盖心虚,以免丈夫发现自己的婚外情。
Kids: What's going on?
Sheila: Show some respect , kids. You're in the presence of greatness.
希拉没有直接回答孩子们的问题,违反了关系准则。希拉的言外之意是贝丝在和小三的较量中,贝丝获得了初步的胜利,她为此感到高兴。这也反映希拉作为一个女权主义者的形象。
Simone: You should have a huge, glorious party to send you off.
Karl: You are a glorious party, all by yourself.
这是卡尔准备注射药物,在离别前和塞蒙妮的对话。对话中,卡尔使用了隐喻的修辞手法,违反了质量准则。他把塞蒙妮比作“华丽的派对”,但塞蒙妮作为活生生的人,不可能是派对。
(四)方式准则的违反
April:Can I get you anything else?
Beth:No. You've already given me more than enough to chew on.
贝丝第三次到餐厅和丈夫的情人艾普尔(餐厅服务员)见面。交谈中,她从艾普尔那里了解了丈夫可能出轨的原因。在这里,贝丝选择了含义模糊的表达方式,违背了方式准则。需要“消化”的不是食物而是内心的痛苦情感,她这样说是为了不让艾普尔发现自己的真实身份。
Karl: Right, well, uh, I'm off to the gallery. I'd love to start the day with a kiss.
Simone: Ask the gardener.
卡尔准备出发前往画廊,临走前,他希望塞蒙妮能给他一个吻。塞蒙妮并没有清楚明白的表达自己的意愿,违反了方式准则。他让卡尔去向园丁索吻,实则是在讽刺卡尔是个同性恋,并且和男人亲吻这件事情。从这里也不难看出塞蒙妮的幽默。
Simone:When are you going to the gallery ?
Karl: When people stop assuming you can catch AIDS from a lithograph .
卡尔没有清楚明白地回复塞蒙妮去画廊的具体时间,违反了方式准则。卡尔言外之意是,人们对他存有偏见,即使去了画廊,也不再会有人会来买他们的画。卡尔身患重病,却依旧保持幽默乐观。
四、结语
《致命女人》不仅剧情巧妙,台词也十分惊艳。剧中的角通过违反合作原则以实现各种交际目的,并由此产生了一定的会话含义,这不但丰富了剧情,还刻画了饱满的人物形象。
参考文献:
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[2] 李平.违反“合作准则”的现象及其语用效果分析[J].西北名族大学学报,2005 (6):129-132.