A interface humor e trabalho de face: o uso da provocação como estratégia de aproximação/afastamento

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between humor, im/politeness, facework and roles in episodes of the program “Quatro em Campo”. It`s a radio program, aired from Monday to Friday by CBN radio and it focuses discussions about soccer. The program is shaped as a round table, with a presenter/facilitator and three presenters/commentators. Although the program`s focuses, as it`s said, is soccer, many times, emerge humorous provocations. The literature has sowed that there have always been difficulties in defining humor and so the first Theory of Humor was built only in 1985 (RASKIN, 1985). More recently, some authors (NORRICK (1993); HOLMES (2000)) has been sought to define humor in real situations of interaction. Attardo (1994) argues that provocation is a type of humour which brings in it a critical element and it is done in the target`s of criticism presence. So, considering the fact that provocations have showed be recurring in our data, our anlysis focus will be provocations. Thus, adopting a relational perspective in the discourse studies and a interpretative approach to data analysis, we seek to ascertain: the roles which characterize/ constitute the type of activity analyzed (Quatro em Campo); the relationship between humor and facework; and how the provocations emerge and how they are managed in the discourse. The analysis of data shows that, in this context, the provocations emerge, mainly, when a sporting commentary generates some kind of disagreement or dissent among the participants. With these provocations, the participants seek a change in the frame wich has being given to the current topic. However, this change depends on how the provocations` target receive them. It`s been noted that there is a relation between the way how participants react to provocations and the role they assume, for example, if it is the commentator role or the fan role. Moreover, in a general way, the use of humor has showed to be ambivalent, producing, at the same time, separation and connection among interactants.