A non sequitur ( , ; "
tdoes not follow") is a conversational
literary device, often used for comedic purposes. It is something said that, because of its apparent lack of meaning relative to what preceded it, seems
absurd to the point of being humorous or confusing. This use of the term is distinct from the
non sequitur in logic, where it is a
fallacy
A fallacy is the use of invalid or otherwise faulty reasoning, or "wrong moves," in the construction of an argument which may appear stronger than it really is if the fallacy is not spotted. The term in the Western intellectual tradition was intr ...
.
Etymology
The expression is
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
for "
tdoes not follow". It comes from the words ''non'' meaning "not" and the verb ''sequi'' meaning "to follow".
Usage
A non sequitur can denote an abrupt, illogical, or unexpected turn in plot or dialogue by including a relatively inappropriate change in manner. A non sequitur joke sincerely has no explanation, but it reflects the idiosyncrasies, mental frames and alternative world of the particular comic
persona.
Comic artist
Gary Larson's ''
The Far Side
''The Far Side'' is a single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Chronicle Features and then Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from December 31, 1979, to January 1, 1995 (when Larson retired as a cartoonist). Its surrealist ...
'' cartoons are known for what Larson calls "...absurd, almost non sequitur animal" characters, such as talking cows, which he uses to create a "...weird, zany, ...bizarre, odd, strange" effect; in one strip, "two cows in a field gaze toward burning Chicago, saying 'It seems that agent 6373 had accomplished her mission.'"
See also
*
Anacoluthon
An anacoluthon (; from the Greek ''anakolouthon'', from ''an-'': "not" and ἀκόλουθος ''akólouthos'': "following") is an unexpected discontinuity in the expression of ideas within a sentence, leading to a form of words in which there is l ...
*
Anti-humor
*
Dada
*
Derailment (thought disorder)
*
"Good day, fellow!" "Axe handle!"
Good Day, Fellow!' 'Axe Handle! (Norwegian: "God dag, mann!" "Økseskaft!") is a Scandinavian folktale, collected by Asbjørnsen and Moe.
Plot
A deaf or hard-of-hearing ferryman has a wife, two sons and a daughter. They fritter away all their ...
*
Gibberish
Gibberish, also called jibber-jabber or gobbledygook, is speech that is (or appears to be) nonsense. It may include speech sounds that are not actual words, pseudowords, or language games and specialized jargon that seems nonsensical to outsi ...
*
Roger Irrelevant
*
Surreal humour
More readings
* The Koan: Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 2000.
* Shabo, Magedah. Rhetoric, Logic, and Argumentation: A Guide for Student Writers. United States, Prestwick House, 2010.
* Keywords for Disability Studies. United Kingdom, NYU Press, 2015.
References
External links
Getting It: Human Event-Related Brain Response to Jokes in Good and Poor Comprehenders- "When asked to pick the punch-line of a joke from an array of choices, including straightforward endings, non sequitur endings, and the correct punch-line, RHD patients erred by picking non sequitur endings, indicating that they know surprise is necessary"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Non sequitur
Humour
Latin literary phrases
Narratology
Jokes