An Analysis of Grotesque-Semiotic Elements in the Linguistic Features of Iranian Stand-up Comedy

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D Candidate, Department of Linguistics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Center Branch, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor in Linguistics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Center Branch, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor of Linguistics, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University,

Abstract

Nowaday, stand-up comedy is increasingly expanding. The present study, drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin’s theoretical framework, investigates the presence of the carnivalesque grotesque in contemporary Persian Iranian stand-up comedy over the past decade. It seeks to answer two main questions: How is the grotesque element manifested in Iranian stand-up comedy from a semiotic perspective? And does this carnivalesque feature contribute to the comic atmosphere of such performances? Employing a descriptive -analytical approach, the research analyzes eight performances by three well-known Iranian comedians. The analysis identifies linguistic signs resembling the grotesque in these performances. The findings reveal a total of 83 grotesque-semiotic elements, categorized as 32 taboo-related, 40 inventive, and 11 two-sided (both taboo and inventive). The study confirms the hypothesis that these elements exhibit the traits of Bakhtinian carnival grotesque. These signs are prevalent in Persian Iranian stand-up comedy and serve as essential components in constructing its humorous and subversive character.

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Main Subjects

Linguistic Studies: Theory and Practice

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 08 May 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 01 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 08 May 2025

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