FROM SCRIPT TO LAUGHTER: ANALYZING LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH AND URDU MEMES

Abstract

Memes have entered our online culture across all social media platforms in contemporary digitalized settings. They have developed into a special form of communication that allows internet users to openly share their ideas, jokes, criticisms, and other opinions. As one of the internet's communication phenomena, this study focuses on English and Urdu memes and the unique language characteristics that make them more fascinating from a linguistic perspective. The General Theory of Verbal Humor (Raskin & Salvatore, 1991) has been used for analysis to discover these features. For the analysis, five memes from both languages, English and Urdu, were chosen. The memes that take the shape of visuals with text on them have been the main focus of this research. The use of language for humor and its implications for conveying a message in a social setting is highlighted in this study. The findings showed that the deliberate use of sentence errors within memes illustrates their role in generating humor and fostering engagement. By employing unorthodox structures, memes prompt multiple interpretations and manipulate meanings through the strategic manipulation of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Urdu's national status boosts its coherence in mirroring Pakistani society, aiding relatability for locals compared to English memes.