Identifying/qualifying and action mechanisms in the humor construction

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe, in headlines of the popular newspaper Meia Hora, effects of sense generated by the connection between referential and verbal forms. On one hand, studies of Text Linguistics conceive reference as the process of interpretation and of (re)categorization of reality. On the other hand, researches in Functional Linguistics demonstrate that, unlike full verbs – such as “balear” – there are those that merge to a nominal, forming supporting verbs – such as “meter muito tiro” – or idiomatic expressions – like “largar o dedo”. Although such theoretical postulations have represented advances in the description of linguistic-textual phenomena, there has been little discussion about the relation between identification, qualification and action. In this sense, under the theory of Semiolinguistic Discourse Analysis, this work will demonstrate how, in popular headlines, verbal expressions and verb-nominal periphrases work together in the construction of word games and in the characterization of discursive objects, consisting of linguistic procedures that can cause humor.

Keywords

• referenciação, perífrases verbo-nominais, humor, semiolinguística.