John Benjamins Publishing Company
Irony via “surrealism”
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to support the general hypothesis that irony is a non-unified phenomenon comprising different devices with different semantic/pragmatic/cognitive characteristics. The arguments presented here stand on the boundary between semantics, cognitivism and pragmatics, focusing on the processes of production and retrieval of the ironic message. The main focus is a particular strategy in which the speaker employs a strikingly unrealistic, unexpected, and inappropriate (and thus “surrealistic”) question or assertion in order to create the ironic effect. This type of strategy is illustrated in example (1). (1) Are you going to school tomorrow? No, I am riding my unicorn to Alaska! The ironic device discussed is compared to other common ironic strategies which are distinguished with the help of five criteria: the meaning derivation process, context dependence (the amount of contextual information needed for the recognition of the ironic character of the utterance), cancellability (the possibility of cancelling the ironic character of the utterance), and, at the level of discourse, the effectiveness of interpretation and humorous effect.
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to support the general hypothesis that irony is a non-unified phenomenon comprising different devices with different semantic/pragmatic/cognitive characteristics. The arguments presented here stand on the boundary between semantics, cognitivism and pragmatics, focusing on the processes of production and retrieval of the ironic message. The main focus is a particular strategy in which the speaker employs a strikingly unrealistic, unexpected, and inappropriate (and thus “surrealistic”) question or assertion in order to create the ironic effect. This type of strategy is illustrated in example (1). (1) Are you going to school tomorrow? No, I am riding my unicorn to Alaska! The ironic device discussed is compared to other common ironic strategies which are distinguished with the help of five criteria: the meaning derivation process, context dependence (the amount of contextual information needed for the recognition of the ironic character of the utterance), cancellability (the possibility of cancelling the ironic character of the utterance), and, at the level of discourse, the effectiveness of interpretation and humorous effect.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Pragmatics and linguistic research into humour 1
-
Part 1. Stylistic figures as forms of humour
-
1.1: Irony
- Will anticipating irony facilitate it immediately? 19
- “That’s not ironic, that’s just stupid” 33
- Irony via “surrealism” 51
-
1.2 Puns and other wordplay
- The role of syllables and morphemes as mechanisms in humorous pun formation 71
- Context-sensitive aspects of Shakespeare’s use of puns in comedies 105
- Dimensions of incongruity in register humour 125
-
Part 2. (Non)interactive forms of humour
-
2.1: Jokes
- Displays of “new” gender arrangements in Russian jokes 147
- Understanding ethnic humour in Romanian jokes 173
- Sexuality in Anglo-American anti-proverbs 191
-
2.2 Conversational humour
- Joker in the pack 217
- Humour in quasi-conversations 243
- Humour and the integration of new staff in the workplace 265
-
Part 3. Forms of humour in public discourse
- Parody in the light of the incongruity-resolution model 291
- “I’ll be there for you!” On participation-based sitcom humour 311
- “Losers, poltroons and nudniks” in Woody Allen’s Mere Anarchy 335
- Notes on humour and persuasion in advertising and legal discourse 353
- Comic takeover or comic makeover? 365
- Name index 379
- Subject index 381
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Pragmatics and linguistic research into humour 1
-
Part 1. Stylistic figures as forms of humour
-
1.1: Irony
- Will anticipating irony facilitate it immediately? 19
- “That’s not ironic, that’s just stupid” 33
- Irony via “surrealism” 51
-
1.2 Puns and other wordplay
- The role of syllables and morphemes as mechanisms in humorous pun formation 71
- Context-sensitive aspects of Shakespeare’s use of puns in comedies 105
- Dimensions of incongruity in register humour 125
-
Part 2. (Non)interactive forms of humour
-
2.1: Jokes
- Displays of “new” gender arrangements in Russian jokes 147
- Understanding ethnic humour in Romanian jokes 173
- Sexuality in Anglo-American anti-proverbs 191
-
2.2 Conversational humour
- Joker in the pack 217
- Humour in quasi-conversations 243
- Humour and the integration of new staff in the workplace 265
-
Part 3. Forms of humour in public discourse
- Parody in the light of the incongruity-resolution model 291
- “I’ll be there for you!” On participation-based sitcom humour 311
- “Losers, poltroons and nudniks” in Woody Allen’s Mere Anarchy 335
- Notes on humour and persuasion in advertising and legal discourse 353
- Comic takeover or comic makeover? 365
- Name index 379
- Subject index 381
