Fachbereich 02 Sprach- & Literaturwissenschaften Anglistik / Amerikanistik Fremdsprachenlehr- u. lernforschung Interkulturelle Kommunikation

Seminar: Semester: Module: Lecturer:

Language Based Jokes in Sitcoms SS 2011 11 Prof. Dr. Hrtl

The Big Bang TheoryDoes Sheldon Cooper have Aspergers Syndrome?

Marco Stcker L3 Englisch / Spanisch Semester 8 Matriculation number: 25244812

Table of Contents1. Introduction.......................................................................4 2. The Big Bang Theory...........................................................62.1 Background Facts...................................................................6 2.2 Plot........................................................................................7

3. Aspergers Syndrome .........................................................93.1 What is Aspergers Syndrome - A short outline.........................9 3.2 Social Behavior ......................................................................9 3.3 Honesty and Deception..........................................................10 3.4 Gestures and Facial Expressions............................................11 3.5 Interests and Routines..........................................................11 3.6 Language Use.......................................................................12 3.6.1 The Art of Conversation....................................................................12 3.6.2 Idiosyncratic use of words................................................................122

3.6.3 Semantics.........................................................................................13

4. Sheldon Cooper................................................................154.1 Social Behavior.....................................................................15 4.2 Honesty and Deception..........................................................17 4.3 Gestures and Facial Expressions............................................18 4.4 Interests and Routine............................................................19 4.5 Language Use.......................................................................21 4.5.1 The Art of Conversation....................................................................21 4.5.2 Idiosyncratic Use of Words...............................................................22 4.5.3 Semantics.........................................................................................23

5. Conclusion Does Sheldon have AS?..................................25 6. References.......................................................................27

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1.

IntroductionStan Lee: You know, you fanboys are unbelievable! You think you doorbell any time you want? Why don't you can just ring my just come in and watch the Lakers game with me? Sheldon: Well, I am not much of a sports fan, but thank you. [enters]

This dialogue is taken from the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory, episode The Excelsior Acquisition. In this episode, the protagonist of the show, Sheldon Cooper, misses the opportunity to get the autograph of the famous comic book writer Stan Lee at a book signing because he has to make an appearance in traffic court. Thus, he decides to visit Lee at home to receive an autograph. However, the comic book writer is not willing to welcome Sheldon and ironically asks him whether he wants to come in. Sheldon is not capable of understanding the underlying irony and enters the house. The incapacity of Sheldon to understand irony is a recurrent pattern in all 4 seasons of The Big Bang Theory and supports his image of a brilliant, but socially struggling genius. There has been a vast discussion among viewers of The Big Bang Theory whether his incapacity to act according to the social protocol, is due to an autism spectrum disorder known as Aspergers Syndrome1. Chief producers Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady denied in an interview that Sheldon is meant to be on the autism spectrum; they rather think of his actions as Sheldony (Collins, 2009, Must-Geek TV. Is the world ready for an Asperger's sitcom?). On the one hand, one could argue now that since both producers deny the connection to AS, Sheldon simply cannot have the disorder as he is a product of their imagination. On the other hand, numerous viewers of TBBT have noticed that some idiosyncrasies, Sheldon exhibits, are consistent with AS. A survey, conducted by AOL.TV, even showed that 85.5% of the 1598 people surveyed, believed Sheldon had Aspergers syndrome (Keller, 2009, Does Big Bang's Sheldon have Asperger's syndrome?, para. 4). This paper is to shed some light on the discussion by attempting to answer the question whether the character of Sheldon has AS or not. Therefore, after a brief introduction of the1

In the following AS 4

TV series, the characteristic traits of the disorder will be presented. In a later part, it is to be determined if these traits are also exhibited by Sheldon.

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2.

The Big Bang Theory

2.1 Background FactsThe Big Bang Theory 2 is best described as a typical American sitcom because it follows a half-hour formula centering recurring characters in common environmental settings (cf. Mills, 2009, p.28). The show was created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady and it was first broadcasted on CBS on September 24, 2007 and has become a great success in 84 countries through the last four seasons. It has a running time of 21 minutes. The sitcom is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television. In August 2009, the sitcom won the best comedy series TCA3 award and in 2010, the show won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Comedy. The initial pilot of the sitcom differed substantially from its current plot and was originally developed for the 2006 / 2007 television season. The original pilot was not approved and never broadcasted. However, the creators were given a second chance to produce a second pilot. Creator Chuck Lorre admitted:We did the 'Big Bang Pilot' about two and a half years ago, and it sucked... but there were two remarkable things that worked perfectly, and that was Johnny and Jim. We rewrote the thing entirely, and then we were blessed with Kaley and Simon and Kunal (Cronan, 2008, CCI: The Big Bang Theory, para. 19).

The entire show was remodeled; only the two characters Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper4 were kept for the second pilot. The recast resulted in a 13-episode order by CBS in May 2007 (cf. Sullivan, 2007, CBS Picks Up 'Bang,' 'Power' Plus Four Dramas, para. 1). The sitcom premiered in September 2007 and then incorporated in CBS program for an entire 22-episode season (Zap2it.com, 2007, CBS Validates 'Big Bang Theory', para. 1). Three more seasons have been broadcasted so far and season five will launch on September 22nd, 2011 (cf. Isabel, 2011,2 3

in the following TBBT Television Critiques Association 4 Played by Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons respectively6

The Big Bang Theory Season 5 Spoilers: Leonard And Priya, Raj And Penny Comic Con Updates, para. 11). According to CBS Los Angeles, TBBT is televisions second most-watched comedy behind CBS Two and a Half Men. It was therefore decided to release three more seasons in 2013-2014 (CBSLosAngeles.com, 2011, CBS Renews Big Bang Theory Through 2013-2014 Season, para. 4).

2.2 PlotThe two main characters of TBBT are Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper. They are both brilliant physicists working at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. Sheldon is a theoretical physicist, which makes him feel superior to Leonard who is just an experimental physicist. They are colleagues, roommates and also best friends; although their relationship is frequently challenged by Sheldon's regimented and non-conventional ways and by his incapacity to master common sense situations adequately. Both are also friends with their Cal Tech co-workers, astrophysicist Rajesh Koothrappali and mechanical engineer Howard Wolowitz. During working hours they spend their time working in individual projects. To ensure that dialogues and stage props involving physics related contents are scientifically correct, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California revises scripts and provides math equations and diagrams (cf. Strauss, 2007, There's a science to CBS' 'Big Bang Theory', para. 6). Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Rajesh spend most of their free time together because they have overlapping interests, such as science fiction, comic books, fantasy- and video games. While their IQs are highly above average, their social competence is substandard. Their regular routine is disturbed when Penny, an attractive blonde waitress, moves into the apartment right next to Sheldon and Leonard. She can be seen as the counterpart to them because she is not overly intelligent but she has no problems mastering situations involving social competence or common sense. The contrast between her and Sheldon can be considered the central source of humor in TBBT.

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Although she is in stark contrast to the scientists and especially to Sheldon, she eventually becomes part of the group. She even starts a relationship with Leonard, which becomes a recurrent element of the show (cf. Lakeband, 2010, Ein Herz fr Nerds, para. 3).

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3.

Aspergers Syndrome

3.1 What is Aspergers Syndrome - A short outlineAspergers syndrome (AS) is a neurobiological, developmental disorder named after Hans Asperger, a pediatrician from Vienna, Austria. In 1944, he was monitoring the behavior of four boys exhibiting significant difficulties in social interaction and physical clumsiness along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests (cf. Frith, 2001. S.37). He called this behavior autistic psychopathy and recorded his findings in the paper Die Autistischen Psychopathen im Kindesalter (cf. Coates, 2011, History of Asperger Syndrome, para. 2). However, Aspergers work did not attract interest until it was first referred to as Asperger syndrome in Asperger syndrome: a clinical account, a paper by British researcher Lorna Wing in 1981 (cf. Frith, 2001, p. 38). Nowadays AS is a generally accepted neurobiological disorder that is characterized byrepetitive routines or rituals, peculiarities in speech and language, such as speaking in an overly formal manner or in a monotone, taking figures of speech literally, socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior and the inability to interact successfully with peers, problems with nonverbal communication, including the restricted use of gestures, limited or inappropriate facial expressions, or a peculiar, stiff gaze, clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, 2011, para. 3)

3.2 Social BehaviorPatients with Aspergers Syndrome exhibit deviant social behavior and conversation skills. Attwood provides an example of a young girl with Aspergers syndrome who saw new neighbors moving in. She ran up to a boy her age. Instead of conventionally asking him if he wanted to play, she proclaimed Nine times nine is equal to 81 (cf. Attwood, 1998, p.28) The example demonstrates that the girl has difficulties exhibiting behavior suitable for this specific situation. According to Frith, individuals with AS neither intent to withdraw from social contact, nor to emphasize on their idiosyncrasies. Their problem arises from their incapacity to decode and apply the universal principles governing our social behavior. This9

is due to the fact that theses principles are unwritten, erratic and very complex. They depend on the respective situation and affect many aspects of our behavior, such as gesture, speech, facial expression, clothing, proximity to others etc. Because of the complexity of social interaction, it is impossible to infer universally valid rules AS patients could adhere to (cf. Wing, 1981, para. 5).

3.3 Honesty and DeceptionIndividuals with AS often exhibit a strong reluctance to lies and have difficulties to understand the value of deception. They strongly believe in moral and ethical principles and they like to adhere to laws and rules. The reasons for these peculiarities are still unclear (cf. Attwood, 2007, p.117). It is assumed that they often simply feel more comfortable telling the truth in accordance with their appreciation for rules and regulation (see chapter 3.5). The following citation is taken from a girl with AS who had been in an argument with her father. Although she could have used deception to not aggravate the situation, she told the truth:But I was well aware that the reason I told him wasnt for his benefit, nor for any abstract idea of goodness. It was more that I felt that if I said something that wasnt true, Id be compromising myself. Somehow Id lose my intactness, my sense of self, my sense of reality. Telling the truth is easy and natural. Telling a lie is like turning myself inside out (Author N/A, 2010, Do I look fat in this? Truth, lies and codes, para. 4).

Despite the fact that telling the truth is generally perceived to be honorable and desirable behavior; the inaptness to tell a lie can also cause difficulties. Social protocols often require that we lie or at least do not tell the truth. Attwood provides an example from school. He observed a class in which one pupil had AS. One classmate had played a trick on the teacher. When the teacher, in his search for the culprit, asked if anyone knew who had played the trick, nobody would raise his hand except for the child with AS. After providing the answer, he was confused by the annoyance of the other pupils. The example shows that, while the other children were capable of adhering to the underlying social code, namely not to tell on a friend, the child with AS adhered to the truth (cf. Attwood, 2007, p.117 ff.).

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3.4 Gestures and Facial ExpressionsPeople with Aspergers syndrome not only struggle interpreting gestures and facial expressions, they also have difficulties to produce them appropriately. They often exhibit abnormal non-verbal communication which becomes apparent through sparse and rigid facial expressions, and peculiar, stiff gestures (cf. Attwood, 2007, p.261). Their stiff gesture and clumsiness often comes as a result of problems with dexterity and coordination. Thus, people with AS are often unable to ride a bike and exhibit an unusual gait when running. In some cases, AS patients even show involuntary movements or tics. These tics manifest themselves in occasional twitching such as eye blinking or even in complex movements like pinching. According to Attwood, these tics usually are a relief for suppressed feelings and thoughts (cf. Attwood, 2007, p.266 ff.).

3.5 Interests and RoutinesAccording to Attwood, this is a huge challenge for individuals with AS because one of their major peculiarities is that they exhibit a strong appreciation and strict adherence to routines and regulations.Reality [to a person with AS] is a confusing, interacting mass of events, people, places, sounds and sights. There seem to be no clear boundaries, order or meaning to anything. [They] spend a large part of [their] life[s] just trying to work out the patterns behind everything. Set routines, times, particular routes and rituals all help to get order in an unbearably chaotic life (cf. Attwood, 1998, p.92)

For people with AS, any modification of a routine can cause great distress and anxiety. For example, if a journey to a destination has been traveled several times using a certain route, no deviation will be accepted later. Moreover, they often exhibit a distinct propensity to organize their day according to a set pattern. Once a pattern has emerged, it has to be maintained because any unexpected change, such as a traffic hold up, can be very disconcerting for them. Another aspect of Aspergers syndrome is the tendency to become captivated by special interests. Individuals with AS are often equipped with excellent memories and exhibit intense interest in a few particular subjects. According to Attwood, common topics are11

transport (especially trains and trucks), [], electronics and science (cf. Attwood, 1998, p.90). The AS patient often accumulates consolidated, encyclopedic knowledge on his chosen topic and talks about it extensively, whether or not the listener is interested. In addition, individuals with AS often excel at board games requiring a good short-term memory (cf. Attwood, 1998, p.91 ff.).

3.6 Language Use3.6.1 The Art of Conversation As already indicated in chapter 3.2, individuals with AS often have problems using language properly in social situations. They might start a conversation with a comment irrelevant for the situation and thus incomprehensible for the interlocutor. For example, an AS patient might approach a customer in a supermarket to ask: Do you have a cylinder mower? (cf. Attwood, 2007, p.203) without providing any context. According to Attwood, a common aspiration for individuals with AS is to demonstrate intellectual superiority to others and to conceal social impairments to not appear stupid. Therefore, they tend to deliver monologues including as many technical terms unfamiliar to the listener as possible (cf. Attwood, 1998, p.93). The AS patient from the mower example for instance, could continue his monologue by naming all the facts he / she knows about gardening equipment. It becomes apparent that people with AS often seem to be oblivious of their impression on their interlocutor. As a result, their speech style and their general behavior often come across pedantic, overly formal and unnatural (cf. Attwood, 2007, p.203).

3.6.2 Idiosyncratic use of words A common practice of individuals with AS is the development of neologisms. According to Attwood, they tend to invent new words or use existing words in other contexts. He provides the example of a child with AS who used snook for a flake of chocolate in an ice block, and the word clink for a magnet (cf. Attwood, 1998, p.82).

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3.6.3 Semantics An individual with AS tends to interpret utterances of other people literally and is hence often confused by sarcasm, irony, metaphorical expressions and double entendres; unless cues have been learned (cf. Frith, 2001, p. 234). Attwood provides an example of a boy with AS who had bitten the forearm of the principal. He was subsequently asked about his motivation. The interviewer asked him jokingly, whether he bit the principle because he was hungry. The child did not grasp the tone of voice indicating that the interviewer was joking and dryly replied that he had already eaten his lunch (cf. Attwood, 1998, p.82) However, although individuals with AS often fail to understand non-literal speech such as sarcasm, they might develop the ability to recognize sarcasm from people they know very well. They might even be able to be sarcastic or ironic themselves if they get the opportunity to apply a sarcastic/ironic comment they have learned in another situation (cf. Frith, 2001, p. 234). This is illustrated in the following dialogue between a mother and her son Thomas who has AS:Mother: everywhere. Thomas: Mother: Thomas: Mom, I think you are obsessed with cleanliness. Really? Yes, in fact I think we should take you to the doctor. This is not a behavior pattern that I have seen in other mothers. I think you may have some kind of syndrome. Mother: So, you think my behavior pattern (cough, smile, cough) is a sign of a syndrome? Thomas: Mother: Thomas: Mother: Thomas: Mother: Thomas: Are you mocking me, Mom? In fact I am. Very funny, Mom. Hey! I mean it. Clean up your room Mr. Theres that behavior pattern again Thomas! Okay, okay, sheesh! (Barber, 2006, p,52) Thomas, please clean up your room. There are toys

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This dialogue illustrates twofold that individuals with AS can learn how to handle sarcasm and irony. First, Thomas manages to recognize the teasing of his mom which becomes apparent in his question Are you mocking me, Mom?. He also demonstrates the ability to extract sarcasm and apply it to another situation. In this case he borrowed Obsessed with cleanliness from Calvin and Hobbes5 (Barber, 2006, p,52).

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Calvin and Hobbes is a daily comic strip featured in numerous newspapers worldwide.14

4.

Sheldon Cooper

4.1 Social BehaviorSheldon is an exceptionally intelligent theoretical physicist with an IQ of 187 (cf. TBBT, The Pancake Batter Anomaly). As a child prodigy he already entered university at the age of eleven und received his first doctoral degree only five years later. Sheldon then managed to complete his second dissertation by the age of twenty (cf. TBBT, The Luminous Fish Effect). Furthermore, he possesses a broad general knowledge, which enables him to participate in many conversations. In the show, his knowledge is often presented by anecdotes as for example in series 2, episode 14 about womens apparel:Penny: Oh, thanks. This must be the beret I ordered a couple of months ago. It was back-ordered. Sheldon: Did you know the beret is an example of piece of womens fashion adapted from male military uniforms? Another fascinating example is the epaulet. Leonard: Hes not lying, he does find that fascinating (TBBT, The Financial Permeability).

Sheldons ability to accurately recall any information without problems is due to the fact that he has an eidetic memory:Leonard: Penny: Sheldon: Sheldon, dont ruin the game. How could he ruin the game? Given the cards that have already been played, Penny can only be holding necromancer potions, which are only effective against wraiths and day-walkers, and there are no more of either left to be drawn. The cards remaining in the undrawn stack are four fire weapons, a troll, two ogres and the jewel of Osiris. Leonard: Penny: Sheldon: Leonard: See? Ruined. Sheldon, that is incredible. From your vantage point, it certainly must seem so. Sheldon has kind of a photographic memory.15

Sheldon:

Photographic is a misnomer. I have an eidetic memory, as I have told you many times. Most recently last year during lunch on the afternoon of may seventh. You had turkey and complained it was dry (TBBT, The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary).

Sheldons prediction of Pennys remaining choices in a complex card game not just demonstrates that he has an exceptionally good memory; the fact that he publicly revealed his knowledge shows a certain social ineptness. This incapacity to anticipate emotions and attitudes of people around him is evident in many situations. Fist of all, Sheldon perpetually emphasizes his intellectual superiority to others; not considering possible consequences. This becomes evident in the following dialogue taken from The Luminous Fish Effect where Sheldon meets his new boss the first time:Leonard (to Sheldon): Gablehouser: Howard: Gablehouser: Sheldon: Scene: Here comes our new boss, be polite.

Hi fellas, Eric Gablehouser. Howard Wolowitz. Howard, nice to meet you, and you are? An actual real scientist. (To Leonard) How was that? The stairwell of the apartment building. Sheldon is carrying a box of his things.

Sheldon: Leonard:

I cannot believe he fired me. Well, you did call him a glorified high-school science teacher whose last successful experiment was lighting his own farts (cf. TBBT, The Luminous Fish Effect).

Sheldon mostly exhibits this narcissistic behavior with his friends; especially with his intellectual counterpart Penny. In The Einstein Approximation, Sheldon is obsessed with solving a work-related problem. Similar to Albert Einstein, who worked at the patent office, he decides to take on menial tasks to clear his mind.

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Penny works as a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory; in Sheldons eyes a menial job. Thus, he takes on serving food at Pennys workplace, even though he is not officially employed there (cf. TBBT, The Einstein Approximation). Sheldon has a distinct lack of empathy and does not know how to handle emotional releases of others. In The Gorilla Experiment, Sheldon takes on the task to teach Penny physics because she wants to impress Leonard. She is unable to cope with the vast amount of input and starts crying:Sheldon: Penny: Sheldon: Why are you crying? Because Im stupid! Thats no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid and it makes me sad (cf. TBBT, The Gorilla Experiment).

One could think that Sheldon exhibits such an insensitive behavior because he is selfish and does not care for the feelings of others. In fact, Sheldon is very keen to overcome his social impairments and to adjust to his surroundings. He therefore keeps a log of all his social interactions to be later able to infer rules:Sheldon: I am sorry; I don't understand what social situation this is. Could you give me some guidance in how to proceed? Leonard: Sheldon: You clearly did something to aggravate her! I'm at a loss. If you like, you can review my daily log of social interactions. And see if there's a blunder I overlooked (TBBT, The Bad Fish Paradigm)

4.2 Honesty and DeceptionSimilar to individuals with AS, Sheldon often exhibits a strong reluctance to lies and has difficulties to understand the value of deception. Among his friends, he developed the reputation that he cannot be entrusted with a secret because he cannot keep it private. Even secrets, where the social code strongly requires confidence, are not safe with Sheldon. In The Apology Insufficiency, Howard applies for an important project for the countrys defense program. A necessary background check also requires an interview between a representative of the FBI and Howards friends, including Sheldon. However, the17

conversation does not go as intended. Sheldon accidentally mentions a previous incident where Howard had damaged the Mars Rover in an attempt to impress a woman.FBI Agent: Sheldon: Im afraid not. Is there anything else? Is there anything else? Where would you like to start? He refuses to pay fines when hes overdue with books I lend him. He crashed the Mars Rover while attempting to impress a woman. He recommended that I go see the third Matrix movie because it was, and I quote, just as good as the first one. If thats not irresponsible, I dont know what is. FBI Agent: Sheldon: Rover? FBI Agent: Sheldon: You did. (heavily twitching with nose and eyelids) That was actually a poorly chosen example [] (TBBT, The Apology Insufficiency) The Mars Rover? () (heavily twitching with nose and eyelids) Did I say Mars

Sheldons reluctance to lies goes as far that he rather tells the truth than a white lie. As indicated in chapter 4.3, he even temporarily loses his job because he acts insulting towards his new boss by being too honest (cf. TBBT, The Luminous Fish Effect). He is aware of his impairment and admits: when I try to deceive, I myself have more nervous tics than a Lyme disease research facility.(TBBT, The Bad Fish Paradigm)

4.3 Gestures and Facial ExpressionsWhen forced to lie, Sheldon exhibits nervous tics, mostly by means of involuntary facial muscle contractions such as eye blinking and nose twitching (see 4.2). For his interlocutor it is then very easy to see behind his mask. These tics also occur, when Sheldon feels otherwise under pressure. In The Bat Jar Conjecture, Sheldon takes part in a physics contest against his friends Leonard, Raj and Howard. After question four there is a tie. The final task is an equation neither Sheldon nor his friends are able to solve. While Sheldon is desperately trying to find a solution, he exhibits nervous tics such as eye blinking, facial grimacing and nose twitching.18

It is very difficult for Sheldon to adjust his mimics according to the social protocol. He rarely smiles or laughs and if he does, it often comes across unnatural and stiff. In The Griffin Equivalency, he has to feel happy for his friend Raj because he was featured in the People Magazines 30 under 30 to watch. However, Sheldon is jealous because he thinks that Rajs work is less important than his. Although he does not want to, his friends force him to congratulate Raj on his success. The following scene shows that Sheldon cannot fake facial expression just as he cannot lie:Leonard: for him. Sheldon: Howard: Sheldon: Leonard: Howard: Leonard: But Im not. Well then fake it. [] Fine, what do you want me to do? Smile. (He does, exaggeratedly.) Oh crap, thats terrifying. Were here to see Koothrappali, not kill Batman. And when we go in there, lets show Raj that were happy

Just as his social behavior, Sheldons gestures come across stiff and rehearsed. He always sits up straight and he moves in a careful, considered way. His motor skills are below average. He cannot swim nor ride a bike (cf. TBBT, The Friendship Algorithm) and he is extremely inflexible. In The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification he decides to live a healthier life in order to increase his life expectancy. Penny agrees to take him jogging but Sheldon is not even capable of completing the warm up exercise because he cannot touch his toes. In an attempt to jog down the stairs, he falls (cf. TBBT, The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification).

4.4 Interests and RoutineSheldon Cooper has numerous particularly eccentric interests and hobbies but he is not ashamed of publicly displaying them. He is a skilled Tuvan throat singer 6 and he is able to speak the fictional Klingon language7 (cf. TBBT, The Large Hadron Collision). He loves trains and everything connected to it (cf. TBBT, The Gorilla Experiment).

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Tuvan throat singing is a form of overtone singing practiced by the Tuva tribe in Siberia (cf. Levin, 2006, p.70). 7 The Klingons are a warrior race in the science fiction TV show Star Trek.19

In addition to science fiction TV shows like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and Stargate (cf. TBBT, The Thespian Catalyst), he is fond of comic books, especially Batman, Aquaman, Spiderman, The Flash, The Incredible Hulk, and Green Lantern (cf. TBBT, The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem). He constantly wears T-Shirts printed with his favorite super hero characters; even when he is at work. Sheldon seems to have studied every aspect of before mentioned TV series in detail for he does not disregard negligible details when reciting in any given situation: In The Nerdvana Annihilation, Sheldon and his friends successfully auction a time machine prop from the movie The Time Machine (2002). After the arrival of the machine, they decide to go back to 1876 to witness the invention of the telephone. However, they fear that it might strike Bell if they all together appeared in his laboratory:Sheldon: Oh, I have a solution, first go into the future and obtain a

cloaking device. Raj: Sheldon: Ooh, how far into the future? If I remember correctly, Captain Kirk will steal a cloaking device from the Romulans on Stardate 5027.3, which will be January 10th 2328 by pre-federation reckoning.

In addition, Sheldon exhibits strict adherence to rules, regulations and routine as well as disposedness to perfectionism. Since the pilot episode of TBBT, he has his spot, the left cushion, on the couch and he refuses to sit somewhere else:Sheldon: Penny: Sheldon: Penny: Sheldon: Leonard: Sheldon: Um, Penny ... that's where I sit. (Sweetly) So sit next to me. (pausing in contemplation) No, I sit there. What's the difference? (Aghast) What's the difference? Here we go. In the winter that seat is close enough to the radiator to remain warm, and yet not so close as to cause perspiration. In the summer, it's directly in the path of a cross-breeze created by opening windows there and there. It faces the television at an angle that is neither direct,20

thus discouraging conversation, nor so far wide as to create a parallax distortion. I could go on, but I think I've made my point (cf. TBBT, Pilot).

Sheldon adheres to a precise schedule, which regulates his entire daily routine including nutrition and leisure activities: In The Euclid Alternative, Sheldon refuses to commute to work by bus because busses are not equipped with seatbelts. His friend Rajesh agrees to take him home:Raj: Sheldon: Im taking you home. Oh, but Im not going home. Its Wednesday, Wednesday is new comic book day, we have to go to the comic book store. And then we have to stop at Soup Plantation, its creamy tomato soup day, and Radio Shack, theres a sale on triple-a batteries. Plus, we have to go to Pottery Barn and return my Star Wars sheets. Raj: Sheldon: Alternative) I have a better idea. You want to go to pottery barn first? (TBBT, The Euclid

4.5 Language Use4.5.1 The Art of Conversation Jim Parsons performance of Sheldon Cooper makes use of many AS specific language peculiarities. Similar to the AS patient in chapter 3.6.1, Sheldon frequently exhibits a certain inability when it comes to appropriate language use in social situations. Often, this already becomes apparent in the very first part of a conversation. For example, after Leonard refuses to give Sheldon a lift to work because he is too tired, Sheldon knocks at Pennys door to ask her whether she could take him. Sheldon not only misses to apologize for the early disturbance, he approaches Penny without providing context information:Sheldon: (Knock, knock, knock) Penny, (knock, knock, knock) Penny, (knock, knock, knock) Penny Penny: Sheldon: (opening door) Sheldon, what is it? Leonard is asleep.

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Penny: Sheldon: Penny: Alternative)

Thanks for the update (begins to close door.) No, wait. You have to drive me to work. Yeah, uh, I really dont think I do. (TBBT, The Euclid

Individuals with AS often exhibit insecurity, when it comes to choosing appropriate words in a conversation. Sheldon makes no exception. He also has difficulties to adjust his speech style to respective social situations. Instead, he tends to excessively adhere to proper word use and grammar and almost completely avoids contractions; no matter to whom he is talking to. The result is a speaking style that is perceived as pedantic, overly formal and at times arrogant. Sheldon generally never uses slang and if he does, it comes across artificial and rehearsed. In the following scene, taken from The White Asparagus Triangulation, Sheldon and Penny accidentally run into each other in the hallway.Sheldon: Penny: Sheldon: What is shaking? Im sorry? Its colloquial, a conversation opener. So, do you find the weather satisfying? Are you currently sharing in the triumph of some local sports team? Penny: Sheldon: Penny: Whats wrong with you? Youre freaking me out. I am striking up a casual conversation with you. Suup? Please dont do that.

The conversation clearly shows that Sheldon definitely tries to adjust his choice of words to the situation. However, this sudden change strikes Penny as extremely inauthentic and rehearsed.

4.5.2 Idiosyncratic Use of Words Individuals with AS often tend to develop new words (see chapter 3.6.2). Also Sheldon exhibits such a behavior in season 38. He frequently uses the made-up word Bazinga whenever he takes someone in:8

Episodes 3, 4, 5, 10, 14, 18, 20, 21 and 23.22

Sheldon: Howard: Sheldon:

You know, Ive always wanted to go to a Goth nightclub. Really? Bazinga! None of you ever see my practical jokes coming,

do you? (TBBT, The Gothowitz Deviation)

4.5.3 Semantics As suggested in chapter 3.6.3, individuals with AS often exhibit a tendency towards literal interpretations of utterances. Thus, they often struggle with metaphorical expressions, irony and sarcasm. Also Sheldon often does not perceive sarcasm or irony. In The Big Bran Hypothesis, Penny gives Sheldon and Leonard a key to her apartment because she is expecting a furniture delivery. Sheldon feels greatly disturbed by the disorderliness in Pennys apartment and he decides to sneak into her apartment at night while she is sleeping to tidy up. Next morning, Leonard criticizes Sheldon because of the violation of Pennys privacy:Sheldon: Granted, my methods may have been somewhat

unorthodox, but I think the end result will be a measurable enhancement of Pennys quality of life. Leonard: You know what, youve convinced me; maybe tonight we should sneak in and shampoo her carpet. Sheldon: Leonard: You dont think that crosses a line? Yes! For Gods sake, Sheldon, do I have to hold up a sarcasm sign every time I open my mouth? Sheldon: You have a sarcasm sign? (TBBT, The Big Bran Hypothesis)

Sheldon clearly misses the implication in Leonards utterance: Leonard is far from being convinced that Sheldons decision to tidy up Pennys apartment was reasonable and justifiable. He clearly thinks that a line has already been crossed. It becomes evident that Sheldon takes Leonards comment literal because continues the conversation asking whether Leonard does not think if this might cross a line. At the same time Sheldon is concerned that shampooing Pennys carpet would go too far. This shows that Sheldon is making progress handling social situations. It also confirms the indication of chapter 4.1, namely that Sheldon exhibits a certain willingness to overcome his social impairments.23

This learning curve is transferable to Sheldons handling of sarcasm: The following scene illustrates how Sheldon develops an understanding for sarcasm in the later episodes. Sheldon and his friends are planning to watch the extended version of Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark with 21 seconds previously unseen footage. They invite Penny to join them:Howard: Penny, if you think this is good, you should come with us Friday to see it [Raiders of the Lost Ark] on the big screen at the Colonial. Penny: it again on Friday? Sheldon: Because the print theyre showing on Friday has an additional 21 seconds of previously unseen footage. Penny: new movie! Leonard: controversy. Sheldon: Leonard? Im no expert, but I believe what we just heard from Penny was sarcasm. (She indicates it was) Oh, good. Im eight for 26 this month (TBBT, The 21-Second Excitation). Exactly. They say it finally solves the submarine What, 21 seconds? Thatll be like seeing a whole Well, Im watching it now. Why would I want to see

While Leonard misses Pennys implication; namely that she is not interested at all in watching the movie with its additional 21 seconds in the cinema, Sheldon is capable of perceiving the ironic undertone. In the course of the episodes, Sheldon even develops the ability to apply sarcasm himself. In the following scene, Penny walks into Leonards and Sheldons apartment without knocking and collapses, clearly upset, on the sofa:Sheldon: Sheldon: Who is it? Oh Hello Penny! Its open, come in! Sarcasm! (TBBT, The Dead Hooker Juxtaposition)

Here, Sheldon ironically expresses disapproval of the fact that Penny entered his apartment without his permission and without knocking. Similar to Thomas (see chapter 3.6.3), Sheldon is able to apply sarcasm or irony in a trusted environment.

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5.

Conclusion Does Sheldon have AS?

The paper shows that there is every indication that Jim Parsons performance of Sheldon makes use of at least some traits of Aspergers Syndrome: First of all, Sheldon exhibits a strong social ineptness visible on numerous occasions: He struggles to anticipate and to read emotions of people around him as well as to express his own. He strictly adheres to the truth which becomes evident in two areas: He can neither lie nor fake facial expressions and hence often comes across stiff and unnatural. Same is true for his gesture. For his age, his motor skills are clearly underdeveloped as he is neither able to swim, nor to ride a bike. Similar to individuals with AS, Sheldon exhibits nervous tics whenever he feels cornered or forced to do things he does not want to. Also, Sheldons interests and pastime activities fit the pattern: as a theoretical physicist, he is obsessed with physics and he has numerous particularly eccentric interests. He is very fond of science fiction comic books and TV series as well as of trains. For he is equipped with an eidetic memory, he has accumulated an encyclopedic knowledge on all of his interest and he likes to talk about it extensively, whether or not the listener is interested. It was also shown that, just like many people with AS, Sheldon is unwilling to break personal rules and regulations such as his daily schedule regulating food and leisure activities or his spot on the sofa. It also seems that Lorre and Prady have used many language features, common for people with AS. They created the character of Sheldon with a pedantic and overly formal speech style; inappropriate for most social situations. Every attempt of Sheldon to blend in, is unsuccessful and is perceived unnatural. Sheldon also tends to interpret utterances literally and hence often does not understand sarcasm or irony. All in all, it appears that 85,5% of the TBBT viewers who participated in the survey on AOL.TV, were right (see introduction), as this paper unambiguously shows. It almost even seems that Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady have used Attwoods The Complete Guide to Aspergers Syndrome in order to build the show around the neurological condition as the astonishing similarities suggest. AS might not be mentioned in the series per se, but Sheldon definitely exhibits numerous traits of the disorder - whether or not intended by the producers.25

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6.

References

Attwood, T. (2007). The complete guide to Asperger's syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Attwood, T. (1998). Aspergers Syndrome. A guide for Parents and Professionals. Gateshead: Athenaeum Press. Barber, K. (2006). Living Your Best Life with Aspergers Syndrome. London: Paul Chapman Publishing. Bumann, H. (2002). Lexikon der Sprachwissenschaft. Stuttgart: Alfred Krner Verlag. Frith U. (2001). Autism and Asperger syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Klin, A. (2000). Asperger Syndrome. New York: The Guilford Press Levin, T. (2006). Where Rivers and Mountains Sing. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Mills, B. (2009). The Sitcom. Edinburgh: Edinburgh: University Press. Ozonoff, S. (2002). A Parents Guide to Asperger Syndrome & High-Functioning Autism. New York: The Guilford Press.

Online SourcesAuthor N/A. (2007). CBS Validates 'Big Bang Theory'. Retrieved August 9, 2011 from http://www.zap2it.com/tv/zap-bigbangtheorytheunitpickups,0,4807596.story. Author N/A. (2007). CBS Renews Big Bang Theory Through 2013-2014 Season. Retrieved August 9, 2011 from http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/01/12/cbs-renews-big-bang-theory-through-20132014-season/.

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Author N/A. (2010). Do I look fat in this? Truth, lies and codes. Retrieved August 30, 2011 from http://aspectsofaspergers.wordpress.com/tag/truth/. Author N/A. (2011). Multiple Personality Disorders: The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper. Retrieved August 29, 2011 from http://gypsumgirl.hubpages.com/hub/SheldonCooper-PDs. Coates, L. (2011). History of Asperger Syndrome. Retrieved August 30, 2011 from http://www.asperger-syndrome.me.uk/history.html. Collins, P. (2009). Must-Geek TV. Is the world ready for an Asperger's sitcom?. Retrieved August 11, 2011 from http://www.slate.com/id/2210635/pagenum/2. Cronan, M. (2008). CCI: The Big Bang Theory. Retrieved August 9, 2011 from http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17520. Isabel, C. (2011). The Big Bang Theory Season 5 Spoilers: Leonard And Priya, Raj And Penny Comic Con Updates. Retrieved August 9, 2011 from http://tvsomniac.com/2011/the-big-bang-theory-season-5-spoilers-leonard-and-priya-rajand-penny-comic-con-updates/. Keller, J. (2009). Does Big Bang's Sheldon have Asperger's syndrome? Retrieved August 11, 2011 from http://www.aoltv.com/2009/02/09/does-big-bangs-sheldon-have-aspergerssyndrome/. Lakeband, S. (2010). Ein Herz fr Nerds. Retrieved August 11, 2011 from http://www.sueddeutsche.de/medien/lieblingsserie-the-big-bang-theory-ein-herz-fuernerds-1.981477. National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2011) Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet. Retrieved August 30, 2011 from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm. Sullivan, B. (2007). CBS Picks Up 'Bang,' 'Power' Plus Four Dramas. Retrieved August 9, 2011 from http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7387. Strauss, G. (2007). There's a science to CBS' 'Big Bang Theory'. Retrieved August 11, 2011 from http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-11-04-big-bang_N.htm.

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Waldman, A. (2009). Come up with a new theory: Sheldon does NOT have Asperger's. Retrieved August 30, 2011 from http://www.aoltv.com/2009/08/14/come-up-with-a-newtheory-sheldon-does-not-have-aspergers/. Wing, L. (1981) Asperger syndrome: a clinical account. Retrieved August 30, 2011 from http://www.mugsy.org/wing2.htm.

EpisodesPilot. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. September 24, 2007. No. 1, season 1. The 21-Second Excitation. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. November 11, 2010. No. 08, season 4. The Apology Insufficiency. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. November 4, 2010. No. 7, season 4. The Bad Fish Paradigm. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. September 22, 2008. No. 1, season 2. The Bat Jar Conjecture. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. April 21, 2008. No. 13, season 1. The Big Bran Hypothesis. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. October 1, 2007. No. 2, season 1. The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. November 8, 2008. No. 6, season 2. The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. October 19, 2009. No. 5, season 3. The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. September 22, 2010, No. 2, season 4. The Dead Hooker Juxtaposition. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. March 30, 2009. No. 19, season 2. The Einstein Approximation. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. February 1, 2010. No. 14, season 3. The Euclid Alternative. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. October 20, 2008. No. 5, season 2.29

The Excelsior Acquisition. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. March 1, 2010. No. 16, season 3. The Financial Permeability. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. January 19, 2009. No. 14, season 2. The Friendship Algorithm. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. January 19, 2009. No. 13, season 2. The Gorilla Experiment. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. December 7, 2009. No. 10, season 3. The Gothowitz Deviation. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. October 5, 2009. No. 3, season 3. The Grasshopper Experiment. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. January 25, 2009. No. 8, season 1. The Griffin Equivalency. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. October 13, 2008. No. 7, season 2. The Large Hadron Collision. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. February 8, 2010. No. 15, season 3. The Luminous Fish Effect. The Big Bang Theory. October 15, 2007. No. 4, season 1. The Pancake Batter Anomaly. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. March 31, 2008. No. 11, season 1. The Thespian Catalyst. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. February 4, 2011. No. 14, season 4. The White Asparagus Triangulation. The Big Bang Theory. CBS. November 24, 2008. No. 9, season 2.

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Erklrung Hiermit versichere ich, dass ich die vorliegende Hausarbeit selbstndig und ohne unerlaubte Hilfe angefertigt und andere als die in der Hausarbeit angegebenen Hilfsmittel nicht benutzt habe. Alle Stellen, die wrtlich oder sinngem aus verffentlichten oder unverffentlichten Schriften entnommen sind, habe ich als solche kenntlich gemacht. Insbesondere erklre ich, dass ich nichts ohne Quellenangabe aus dem Internet bernommen habe.

_________________________Marco Stcker

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