Whitworth MA Research Report

Master of Arts Research Report Translating Stand Up Comedy: Eddie Izzard’s Dress to Circle Kirsten Whitworth Abstract This research analyses the decisions made in the translation and performance, by Anglophone comedian Eddie Izzard, of a comedy show performed first in two parts in English, in Dress to Kill and Circle, and then translated by the performer and performed in French, as Dress to Circle. The study attempts to answer the questions surrounding the inclusion of certain material, and the resultant differences in the French and English versions, relying primarily on theories of relevance, contextualisation and equivalence. The major theories relied on for this research are frame semantics, relevance theory, and equivalence theories. The research takes the form of a case study of three particular texts and the relationships between them, adopting a descriptive rather than a prescriptive approach. Certain prescriptive categories (such as those expressed by Nida) are nonetheless used as descriptive labels for the kind of equivalence that does exist. The texts are analysed both as written texts and texts in performance, with attention paid to the delivery of the texts, and their reception. Given that the source and target texts are markedly different in terms of content, the texts are analysed in the light of their intention to provide humour and generate a positive response in the audience, taking into account the factors involved in live performance. i Declaration I declare that this Research Project is my own unaided work. It is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Translation. It has not been submitted for any degree or examination in any other University. ii Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................i Declaration ................................................................................................................................. ii Table of Contents...................................................................................................................... iii Introduction ................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Eddie Izzard................................................................................................................1 1.2 Themes addressed in Dress to Kill (1998) .................................................................4 1.3 Themes addressed in Circle (1999) ...........................................................................5 1.4 Themes addressed in Dress to Circle (2000) .............................................................6 1.5 Questions addressed in the research.........................................................................6 1.6 Approach ....................................................................................................................7 1.7 Specific comedy terms ...............................................................................................8 1.8 Structure of the report.................................................................................................8 The Role of Humour in Communication ...................................................................................10 2.1 The nature of humour and stand up comedy............................................................10 2.2 Traditions of stand up comedy .................................................................................13 2.2.1 Comedy in Britain ...............................................................................................13 2.2.2 Comedy in America ............................................................................................14 2.2.3 Comedy in France ..............................................................................................15 2.3 Interaction between French and English ..................................................................16 2.4 Understanding humour .............................................................................................17 2.4.1 Frame Semantics................................................................................................17 2.4.2 Incongruity ..........................................................................................................19 2.4.3 Context ...............................................................................................................19 2.4.4 Code Switching and Self-Repair Strategies........................................................20 2.5 Humorous devices used in comedy performance ....................................................21 2.5.1 Accents, pronunciation, tone of voice.................................................................21 2.5.2 Word play............................................................................................................21 2.5.3 Surprise ..............................................................................................................22 2.5.4 Shock: taboo language and subjects..................................................................22 2.5.5 Timing.................................................................................................................23 2.5.6 Familiarity ...........................................................................................................23 2.5.7 Characterisation, dialogue..................................................................................24 2.5.8 Gestures .............................................................................................................24 2.5.9 Hyperbole and exaggeration...............................................................................25 2.5.10 Economy of words...........................................................................................25 iii 2.5.11 Improvisation...................................................................................................25 2.6 Conclusion................................................................................................................26 The Translation of Humour.......................................................................................................27 3.1 Context and contextualisation ..................................................................................29 3.2 The Cultural Filter .....................................................................................................31 3.3 Equivalence ..............................................................................................................32 3.3.1 Translation as a norm-governed activity.............................................................32 3.3.2 Formal equivalence ............................................................................................33 3.3.3 Equivalence and meaning ..................................................................................34 3.3.4 Equivalence in practice.......................................................................................35 3.4 Text Register ............................................................................................................36 3.5 Relevance.................................................................................................................37 3.6 Conclusion................................................................................................................38 Analysis of content ...................................................................................................................39 4.1 Selection of material .................................................................................................40 4.2 Method of analysis....................................................................................................43 4.3 Analysis ....................................................................................................................43 4.3.1 Leonardo Da Vinci and the Helicopter....................................................................43 4.3.2 The Last Supper .................................................................................................48 4.3.3 The Death Star Canteen.....................................................................................54 4.3.4 Transvestites ......................................................................................................62 4.3.5 School Boy French .............................................................................................69 4.4 Conclusion................................................................................................................80 The French texts in performance .............................................................................................82 5.1 Analysis of selected extracts in performance ...........................................................83 5.1.1 Leonardo Da Vinci and the Helicopter................................................................84 5.1.2 The Last Supper .................................................................................................86 5.1.3 The Death Star Canteen.....................................................................................89 5.2 Conclusion................................................................................................................91

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