Irony and Sarcasm

Irony and Sarcasm

by Roger Kreuz
Epub (Kobo), Epub (Adobe)
Publication Date: 18/02/2020

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A psycholinguist explores the use and misuse of the words “irony” and “sarcasm” throughout history!


Isn’t it ironic? Or is it? Never mind, I'm just being sarcastic (or am I?).


Irony and sarcasm are two of the most misused, misapplied, and misunderstood words in our conversational lexicon. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, psycholinguist Roger Kreuz offers an enlightening and concise overview of the life and times of these two terms, mapping their evolution from Greek philosophy and Roman rhetoric to modern literary criticism to emojis.


Kreuz describes 8 different ways that irony has been used through the centuries, proceeding from Socratic to dramatic to cosmic irony. He explains that verbal irony—irony as it is traditionally understood—refers to statements that mean something different (frequently the opposite) of what is literally intended, and defines sarcasm as a type of verbal irony. Kreuz outlines the prerequisites for irony and sarcasm (one of which is a shared frame of reference); clarifies what irony is not (coincidence, paradox, satire) and what it can be (among other things, a socially acceptable way to express hostility); recounts ways that people can signal their ironic intentions; and considers the difficulties of online irony. Finally, he wonders if, because irony refers to so many different phenomena, people may gradually stop using the word, with sarcasm taking over its verbal duties.

ISBN:
9780262357302
9780262357302
Category:
Semantics & pragmatics
Format:
Epub (Kobo), Epub (Adobe)
Publication Date:
18-02-2020
Language:
English
Publisher:
MIT Press
Roger Kreuz

Roger J. Kreuz is currently Associate Dean at the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Memphis, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1993. Since earning his PhD from Princeton University in 1987, he has also held appointments at Duke University, Memphis State University, The Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in the Netherlands, and the University of Pittsburgh. Richard M. Roberts received his PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Memphis in 1992. From 1993-2006, he taught at the University of Maryland University College, Asian and European Divisions. Since 2006, he has worked as a Foreign Service agent at the US Department of State, with appointments in Niger, Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia.

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