Pragmatic Analysis of Selected English Jokes

A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED JOKES IN ENGLISH

RAJI ZAYNAB BOLANLE 01/55EF078

FEBRUARY 2011

A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED JOKES IN ENGLISH

RAJI ZAYNAB BOLANLE 01/55EF078

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN

JANUARY 2011

‫‌ب‬

CERTIFICATION
This Thesis has been read and approved as meeting part of the requirements for the award of a Master of Arts Degree in the Department of English of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, Ilorin.

_______________________ Supervisor Dr S.T. Babatunde

_______________________ Date

_______________________ Head of Department Dr S.T. Babatunde

_______________________ Date

_______________________ External Examiner

_______________________ Date

‫‌ج‬

DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to the glory of Almighty Allah, my Parents and my Daughter.

‫‌د‬

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I acknowledge Almighty Allah, who has always been my sustainer. I also owe my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. S.T. Babatunde, who was always giving his support throughout the course of doing this research. I am so much indebted to my parents, Dr N.I. and Mrs. F.A. Raji, who gave me the much needed moral, financial and motivational supports. I also appreciate the support rendered me by my daughter, Sururah, my siblings, Korede, Bolaji, Demola and Bimbo; my cousins Shina and Tope, my adopted sister, Laide and my little neice, Salamat. I am very grateful to Dr. (Mrs.) V.A. Alabi and Dr. (Mrs.) O. Medubi; and not forgetting my brothers in the department Dr. Mahfouz Adedimeji, Dr. T.A. Alabi and Dr. M.S. Idiagbon, for their efforts at one time or the other towards my academic growth. May Almighty Allah reward you abundantly. Also centrally instrumental to the successful completion of this work are my uncles, Chief Olugbenga Olaofe and Dr. H.K. Raheem....