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Chapter 12. Humour and irony in George Mikes’ How to be a Brit

  • Maria Angeles Ruiz-Moneva
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Relevance Theory, Figuration, and Continuity in Pragmatics
This chapter is in the book Relevance Theory, Figuration, and Continuity in Pragmatics

Abstract

Within relevance theory, and contrarily to classical formalist models, it is claimed that figurative language does not require any special processing route, other than the steps followed in the addressee’s inferential recognition of the speaker’s communicative intention made manifest through the message encoded in a certain context. The present paper sets out to analyse humour and irony as used by Mikes in How to be a Brit as manifestations of figurative language following a relevance-theoretic approach. It will be shown that the inferential steps followed by the addressee in coping with the message communicated by the speaker with different degrees of strength can be exploited for the expression of irony and humour.

Abstract

Within relevance theory, and contrarily to classical formalist models, it is claimed that figurative language does not require any special processing route, other than the steps followed in the addressee’s inferential recognition of the speaker’s communicative intention made manifest through the message encoded in a certain context. The present paper sets out to analyse humour and irony as used by Mikes in How to be a Brit as manifestations of figurative language following a relevance-theoretic approach. It will be shown that the inferential steps followed by the addressee in coping with the message communicated by the speaker with different degrees of strength can be exploited for the expression of irony and humour.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part 1. Continua in non-literalness
  6. Chapter 1. Category extension as a variety of loose use 25
  7. Chapter 2. Metonymic relations – from determinacy to indeterminacy 45
  8. Part 2. Concepts, procedures and discourse effects
  9. Chapter 3. Evidential participles and epistemic vigilance 69
  10. Chapter 4. The Greek connective gar 95
  11. Chapter 5. Metarepresentation markers in Indus Kohistani 121
  12. Part 3. Multimodality and style
  13. Chapter 6. When EVERYTHING STANDS OUT, Nothing Does 167
  14. Chapter 7. Relevance, style and multimodality 193
  15. Part 4. Pragmatic effects and emotions
  16. Chapter 8. Towards a relevance-theoretic account of hate speech 229
  17. Chapter 9. Tropes of ill repute 259
  18. Part 5. Stylistic effects in literary works
  19. Chapter 10. Another look at “Cat in the rain” 291
  20. Chapter 11. Echoic irony in Philip Larkin’s poetry and its preservation in Polish translations 309
  21. Chapter 12. Humour and irony in George Mikes’ How to be a Brit 327
  22. Name index 351
  23. Subject index 355
https://doi.org/10.1075/ftl.8.12cas

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part 1. Continua in non-literalness
  6. Chapter 1. Category extension as a variety of loose use 25
  7. Chapter 2. Metonymic relations – from determinacy to indeterminacy 45
  8. Part 2. Concepts, procedures and discourse effects
  9. Chapter 3. Evidential participles and epistemic vigilance 69
  10. Chapter 4. The Greek connective gar 95
  11. Chapter 5. Metarepresentation markers in Indus Kohistani 121
  12. Part 3. Multimodality and style
  13. Chapter 6. When EVERYTHING STANDS OUT, Nothing Does 167
  14. Chapter 7. Relevance, style and multimodality 193
  15. Part 4. Pragmatic effects and emotions
  16. Chapter 8. Towards a relevance-theoretic account of hate speech 229
  17. Chapter 9. Tropes of ill repute 259
  18. Part 5. Stylistic effects in literary works
  19. Chapter 10. Another look at “Cat in the rain” 291
  20. Chapter 11. Echoic irony in Philip Larkin’s poetry and its preservation in Polish translations 309
  21. Chapter 12. Humour and irony in George Mikes’ How to be a Brit 327
  22. Name index 351
  23. Subject index 355
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