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2025 Vol. 16 №1

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Bochkarev A.I. Gordeeva M.N.

Axiological objectification of death denial in humorous discourse

DOI
10.5922/2225-5346-2025-1-6
Pages
90-102
axiological linguistics humorous discourse death denial faith cowardice cunning

Abstract

The article considers death denial as the crucial constituent of the concept ‘denial of grief’. The research aims at studying peculiarities of actualization of death denial in humorous discourse. The data comprise recordings and scripts of 50 stand-up specials and 20 comedies. The relevance of the research is supported by increasing number of humorous works in recent years where death is actualized as well as by insufficient covering value characteristics and comic objectification of death. The article demonstrates that death denial is actualized through cunning, cowardice and faith. In humorous discourse cunning is expressed through intention to deceive death using such ethical anti-value solution as acquiring eternal life. Immortality is obtained with the help of magic potions and rituals or in some unexpected way. The study shows that unexpected immortality is oppressing the person and causes attempts to escape it. In humorous discourse faith as interpreting death as intermediate stage is usually assessed negatively. Thus, either the very possibility of life after death or people’s certainty of being in heaven can be ridiculed. In case of actualizing cowardice through escaping death, the only popular comic plot is making the dead look alive in order to use him like the alive one.

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