A Linguistic Analysis of Klint Da Drunk's “Alcoholic” Talk Show

Abstract

Humour is culturally constructed depending on different experiences of a people. It thrives well in an atmosphere of freedom, which makes it possible for people to unleash their creative potential in cracking jokes on certain socio-economic and political realities. The Nigerian democratic space makes it possible for the emergence of ‘stand-up comedians' who often entertain their enthusiastic audience via the English language or Nigerian Pidgin English. This creative venture reflects the innovative, entrepreneurial and imaginative usage of the English language in the entertainment industry. The ‘Alcoholic Talk Show' (ATS) of Klint da Drunk typifies this linguistic discourse. Earlier studies on effects of alcohol on utterances have been limited to those produced by the intoxicated talker. This chapter examines the language performance of a stand-up comedian whose routines are based on drunkenness with a view to identifying the linguistic characteristics of simulated alcoholic utterances. Also, it discusses the exaggerated elements and the social issues in the alcoholic jokes. The data for the study was sourced from selected YouTube recordings of Klint da Drunk and it was subjected to perceptual analysis. The transcript of the video recordings was analysed to identify lingual distortions and social issues raised by the persona, using insights from Bergson's Theory of Comedy. The analysis revealed that ATS manifests lingual distortions and speech dysfluencies that are characteristics of utterances rendered in a state of stupor. The study concluded that thespians do not only dramatise actions but also mime speech styles.