Abstract
My paper deals with responses to conversational irony in two different contexts. As an interaction analyst I am interested in how interlocutors co-construct the whole conversational sequence, in what they do with the ironic act in reacting to it.
I combine data analytic methods from interactional sociolinguistics with questions from cognition theory. I shall point out how the interaction analysis of different response types contributes to the development of irony theory.
A look at two data sets (informal conversations among friends and pro- and con-TV- discussions) provides interesting differences in responses to irony in these contexts.
One important difference in responding appears to depend on whether the irony is framed and understood as critical or as friendly. From the format of the responses we can often access the processing of the ironic (though not always). If there are responses to the literal meaning and to the implicatum, we can take this as evidence that principally both the implicated and the literal message is processed. We find five response types: Responses to the literal, to the implicated, mixed types, just laughter and ambiguous types which do not allow us to assign a meaning. The data further confirm that the different types of responses to irony create different activity types:
Responses to the literal develop a humorous discourse type of joint teasing. These are highly frequent during the dinners among friends. In the context of pro and con debates responses within the group differ in connection to the line of arguing.
Responses to the implicatum are much more frequent here. They recontextualize the
Page 2 serious debate. Very often, those who share the general opinion of the ironist, laugh - those who do not reject the implication of the ironic act.
1. Introduction
This paper is contributing to a neglected area of irony research, the reception of irony in contexts of face-to-face interaction. I would like to show that the reception of irony in different conversational contexts can give us insights into the way irony is processed. I cast a critical glance at cognition-oriented irony research which works with data from lab settings. The greatest differences between lab situations and natural conversations are: (a) in the first type of situation the irony recipients are not affected by the ironic act and (b) have no opportunity to continue the interaction and thus to shape and co-construct it. I have reason to think that the way an addressee is
Dramatic irony: exists when the reader or viewer understands something that the character does not
Irony is the contrast between expectation and reality. There are three different types; verbal, situational, and dramatic. Verbal irony is when one person says something, but means the opposite. Situational irony is when an event happens that is the opposite of what was expected to happen. Dramatic irony is when the reader knows something that one or more characters do not.
Like salt and pepper to beef, irony adds “flavor” to some of the greatest works of literature. No matter if readers look at old pieces of work like Romeo and Juliet or more modern novels like To Kill a Mockingbird, irony’s presence serve as the soul fuel that pushes stories forward. By definition, irony occurs when writers of books, plays, or movies destine for one event or choice to occur when the audiences expects the opposite; like Tom Robinson being found guilty after all evidences point other ways in To Kill a Mockingbird. These unique plot twists add mystery and enjoyability to hundreds of books. From the very beginning of The Chosen, a novel written by Chaim Potok, to the very end, irony’s presences does not leave the reader at any
Irony is simply stated as the difference between what we expect to happen and what actually
Irony is the expression of ones meaning by using language that usually signifies the opposite. There are three different types of irony; verbal, dramatic, and situational. Edgar Allen Poe uses verbal and dramatic irony in The Cask of Amontillado to depict a deeper meaning of Montresor’s hate towards Fortunato.
“The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.” -Robert A. Heinlein. In the short story, “The Possibility of Evil”, the author Shirley Jackson uses irony to develop the traits of the protagonist, Miss Strangeworth, in her small hometown. Throughout the story, there are many examples of irony as Miss Strangeworth goes through her normal day. Irony is an engaging literary device used by authors to expose underlying intentions which become critical to the development of the plot.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "dramatic irony (literature)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. .
In the short story, "Guests of the Nation," Frank O'Connor uses irony to illustrate the conflict which men face when their roles as combatants force them to disregard the humanity of their enemies. In both life and literature, irony exists when there is a contrast between expectation and reality. Verbal irony is defined as "a figure of speech in which the actual intent is expressed in words which carry the opposite meaning" (Thrall 248). In dramatic irony there is a contrast between a character's perception of a situation and the actual facts. Often "some of the actors on the stage or some of the characters in a story are 'blind' to facts known to the spectator or reader" (155) . The short story "Guests of the Nation" by Frank O'Connor illustrates both types of irony.
Some literary works exhibit structural irony, in that they show sustained irony. In such works the author, instead of using an occasional verbal irony, introduces a structural feature which serves to sustain a duplicity of meaning. One common device of this sort is the invention of a naïve hero, or else a naïve narrator or spokesman, whose invincible simplicity or obtuseness leads him to persist in putting an interpretation on affairs which the knowing reader—who penetrates to, and shares, the implicit point of view of the authorial presence behind the naïve persona—just as persistently is called on to alter and correct. (Abrams, 90)
Irony is the discrepancy between what is said and what is done. For example, Harry talks about how his old girlfriend broke up with him. Harry says, “She gave me a bunch of crap about me not listening to her enough, or something. I don’t know, I wasn’t really paying attention” ( Dumb and Dumber).
By now, you should have learned about irony, one of the most important literary devices used. There are many definitions of irony, but a simple definition is the contrast between what was supposed to happen and what actually happens. Irony is separated into three types: situational irony (you crave oranges, turns out you are allergic to them), verbal irony (“Oh, you are so funny!” when someone is not funny [sarcasm]), and dramatic irony (while reading, you know there is a monster in the closet, but the character does not). Many examples of irony are given in the novel Brave New World, a novel set in the future where humans are biologically engineered and conditioned for their role in society. The novel exemplifies irony because even though they have norms and regulations set, most people tend to not follow them, including the world leaders.
Irony is a useful device for giving stories many unexpected twists and turns. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," irony is used as an effective literary device. Situational irony is used to show the reader that what is expected to happen sometimes doesn't. Dramatic irony is used to clue the reader in on something that is happening that the characters in the story do not know about. Irony is used throughout Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" through the use of situational irony and the use of dramatic irony.
An example of this is, Beth says to Sally (who is covered in mud), "Oh Sally, you look so nice today!" The comment from Beth is made out of spite, simply rude and unkind. Sally understands that Beth's real meaning is not what was said. The second form of irony is situational, this form is often confused with cosmic, the difference between the two is minimal. Situational irony is a contradiction between what is expected to happen and what happens.
Horseback riding is not an activity most people think of, but it is a great escape for some people. Horseback riding is not just saddling up and riding, people have to have a passion for horses and riding. Some things to keep in mind when riding is balance and knowledge on how to keep the horse under control. People can be told how to ride, but each person will have to find a style that works for them. When riding a horse the concept of time, destination and worries do not exist.
Thorne, B. Michael, (1999) Using Irony in Teaching the History of Psychology. Teaching of Psychology. Vol. 26 Issue 3, p222. 3p