JOKE STRATEGIES IN A SITUATIONAL COMEDY
“FRIENDS”
A Thesis Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement to
Obtain the Bachelor Degree in English Linguistics Study Program
By:
Kezia Carolina Harianto
15.J1.0006
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
SOEGIJAPRANATA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
SEMARANG
2018
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JOKE STRATEGIES IN A SITUATIONAL COMEDY “FRIENDS”
A Thesis Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement to Obtain the
Bachelor Degree in the English Linguistics Study Program
By:
Kezia Carolina Harianto
15.J1.0006
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
SOEGIJAPRANATA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
SEMARANG
2018
LAMPIRAN KEPUTUSAN REKTOR UNIVERSITAS KATOLIK
SOEGIJAPRANATA
Nomor : 0047/SK.Rek/X/2013
Tanggal: 7 Oktober 2013
Tentang: PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN SKRIPSI/ TUGAS AKHIR DAN
THESIS
………………………………………………………………………………………
PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN SKRIPSI/TUGAS AKHIR DAN THESIS
Dengan ini saya menyatakan bahwa dalam skripsi yang berjudul “JOKE
STRATEGIES IN A SITUATIONAL COMEDY FRIENDS” ini tidak terdapat
karya yang pernah diajukan untuk memperoleh gelar kesarjanaan di suatu
perguruan tinggi, dan disepanjang pengetahuan saya juga tidak terdapat karya atau
pendapat yang pernah ditulis atau diterbitkan oleh orang lain, kecuali yang secara
tertulis diacu dalam naskah ini dan disebutkan dalam daftar pustaka.
Apabila dikemudian hari ternyata terbukti bahwa skripsi ini sebagian atau
seluruhnya merupakan hasil plagiasi, maka saya rela untuk dibatalkan, dengan
segala akibat hukumnya sesuai dengan peraturan yang berlaku pada Universitas
Katolik Soegijapranata dan/atau peraturan perundang-undangan yang berlaku.
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A THESIS APPROVAL
JOKE STRATEGIES IN A SITUATIONAL COMEDY “FRIENDS”
By:
Kezia Carolina Harianto
15.J1.0006
Approved by,
Cecilia Titiek Murniati, Ph.D July 27th , 2018
Major sponsor
Dr. Heny Hartono, SS., M.Pd July 27th, 2018
Co-sponsor
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A thesis defended in front of the Board of Examiners on July 27th
2018 and declared acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
First Examiner : Antonius Suratno, Ph.D
Second Examiner : Dr. Heny Hartono, SS., M.Pd
Third Examiner : Cecilia Titiek Murniati, Ph.D
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
First, the writer would like to acknowledge and deliver her gratitude to
Jesus Christ. He is the one who leads and guides the writer’s way from her first
year experiencing university life until she finished her thesis. Second, she would
like to thank her beloved family, her father and her mother who always guide her
in every step she takes, show their concerns and care about herself. This gratitude
is also for her brother, Daniel, who is seizing his dream as an architect by
studying at Soegijapranata Catholic University.
The writer would like to deliver her gratitude to her major sponsor, Cecilia
Titiek Murniati, Ph.D who gives the writer supports and cares during her thesis
writing. The writer is truly indebted to her co-sponsor, Dr. Heny Hartono, SS.,
M.Pd who does not stop giving her supports and suggestions for her study. She is
also a beloved lecturer who always guides the writer to finish this thesis. The
writer is also very grateful to be a part of the Faculty of Language and Arts for she
has some great lecturers and some friendly administration officers.
The next gratitude is for her fellows of Faculty of Language and Arts
batch 2015. She had a lot of wonderful experiences together starting from PTMB,
Character Building and Live in. She feels very proud to be a part of batch 2015.
There is also indescribable gratitude for the ex-members of Student Executive
Board 2016/2017 who gave the writer some wonderful experiences in improving
creativity, solving problems, building good communication and teaching to trust
one another.
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The writer is also thankful for her close friends, Defvi, Nandya, Agatha,
Yohana, Ade, Nevia and Mario who always show their concerns, give loves, and
support her journey in university. She is also grateful for her “dancing group”
members, Defvi and Ming who always support her with their mask and sword
dances. The next gratitude is for her friends, Ivena, and Ririn who also show their
compassion.
Finally, the writer hopes that this thesis can be beneficial for the readers.
The writer
“Of course it is hard.
It is supposed to be hard
If it was easy, everyone would do it.
Hard is what makes it great”
– Jimmy Dugan
(A League of Their Own)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE OF TITLE..................................................................................................... i
PAGE OF APPROVAL .......................................................................................... ii
BOARD OF EXAMINERS.................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ..................................................................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... vii
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................. xi
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................ x
ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... xx
ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................. xii
CHAPTER 1........................................................................................................ 133
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 133
1.1 Background of the Study ........................................................................ 13
1.2 Field of the Study .................................................................................... 16
1.3 Scope of the Study ................................................................................... 16
1.4 Problem Formulation ............................................................................. 16
1.5 Objectives of the Study ........................................................................... 16
1.6 Significance of the Study ........................................................................ 17
1.7 Definition of Terms ................................................................................. 17
CHAPTER 2.......................................................................................................... 18
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REVIEW OF LITERATURE............................................................................... 18
2.1 Joke .............................................................................................................. 18
2.2 Types of Joke ............................................................................................... 18
2.3 Joke Strategies ............................................................................................. 19
CHAPTER 3.......................................................................................................... 24
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS ................................... 24
3.1 Method of Data Collection ........................................................................... 27
3.1.1 Data Collection ..................................................................................... 27
3.1.2 Data Source ........................................................................................... 28
3.1.3 Procedure .............................................................................................. 28
3.2 Method of Data Analysis ............................................................................. 28
CHAPTER 4.......................................................................................................... 31
DATA ANALYSIS ................................................................................................ 31
4.1. Joke Strategies in A Situational Comedy “Friends” ................................. 31
4.1.1. Style ..................................................................................................... 31
4.1.2. Synonymics ......................................................................................... 34
4.1.3. Part of Speech ..................................................................................... 36
4.1.4. Antonymics ......................................................................................... 38
4.1.5. Advertese............................................................................................. 40
4.1.6. Numerical English .............................................................................. 42
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4.1.7. Questionable English .......................................................................... 43
4.1.8. Nameplay ............................................................................................ 45
4.1.9. Syllable ................................................................................................ 47
4.1.10. Alphabet ............................................................................................ 48
4.1.11. idiomatics .......................................................................................... 49
4.1.12. Spelling .............................................................................................. 51
4.1.13. Misusage ............................................................................................ 52
4.1.14. Prefixes and Suffixes ......................................................................... 53
4.1.15. Novelty English ................................................................................. 54
4.1.16. Negative English ............................................................................... 55
4.1.17. Rhyming English............................................................................... 56
4.1.18. Speech................................................................................................ 58
4.1.19. Ambiguity.......................................................................................... 60
4.1.20. Other Strategies ................................................................................ 61
4.2. The Occurences of Joke Strategies ............................................................ 64
4.3. General Findings ........................................................................................ 66
CHAPTER 5.......................................................................................................... 67
5.1. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 67
5.2. Suggestions ................................................................................................. 67
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................. 68
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LIST OF TABLES
CHAPTER 2
Table 2.1. Joke Strategies by Dynel ................................................................. 24
Table 2.2 Joke Strategies by Wangsomchok .................................................. 25
x
LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER 4
Figure 4.2.1. The Occurences of Joke Strategies............................................. 65
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ABSTRACT
This study is meant to provide some information regarding to joke strategies that
are used by the characters in a comedy series “Friends”. Using qualitative method,
this research attempts to analyse 10 episodes of an audio-visual taken from a
comedy series “Friends” that have 30 minutes duration in each episode. The result
of this research shows that there are 19 strategies used by the characters in the
comedy series “Friends”. In producing a joke or a humor, the characters tend to
use two simple strategies, there are ambiguity and style. These strategies are
considered practical to be used in order to make audiences laugh.
Keywords: Joke strategies, Humor, Situational Comedy.
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ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memberikan informasi mengenai strategi – strategi
dalam membuat lelucon yang dilakukan oleh tokoh – tokoh dalam komedi seri
“Friends”. Menggunakan metode kualitatif, penelitian ini dilakukan dengan
menganalisis 10 episode dari rekaman audia visual komedi seri “Friends”. Dalam
membuat lelucon atau candaan, tokoh – tokoh cenderung menggunakan 2 strategi
sederhana yaitu ambiguity dan style. Kedua strategi ini tergolong mudah untuk
membuat pendengar tertawa.
Kata kunci: Strategi candaan, humor, komedi