The effect of instruction on L2 learners’ ability to use verbal irony online
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Caleb Prichard
Caleb Prichard is an Associate Professor at Okayama University in Japan. In addition to publishing several studies on L2 humor competence instruction, he researches reading strategies through eye tracking.
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John Rucynski
John Rucynski is also an Associate Professor at Okayama University. He has edited two books and authored several articles on L2 humor.
Erin Gagatko is an instructor in the Global Teaching Institute at Tokyo International University.
Abstract
As verbal irony, including jocular irony, is common in many cultures and since language learners have difficulty with it in the target language, L2 educators have made efforts to help learners recognize irony. However, empirical research on using verbal irony online is lacking. Using a pre-posttest, control group design, this study aimed to fill the research gap by examining the efficacy of instruction on the ability of L2 learners to use verbal irony effectively (e.g., saliently, humorously) in response to social media posts. Japanese learners of English (N = 77) were involved. The instruction focused on sociopragmatics (e.g., appropriate usage) and pragmalinguistic aspects (e.g., non-verbal irony cues). Two instruments of 42 mock social media posts each were created (e.g., “My boss just yelled at me even though it was HIS fault.”), and the participants were asked to choose 12 of these to respond ironically to. Two independent raters judged all 1,848 blinded responses for their overall quality. The irony types and cues were also coded by researchers. The findings suggested that the experimental group significantly improved their ability to use verbal irony appropriately and saliently. Compared to the control group, in the posttest they more often used irony in more appropriate contexts (e.g., in response to funny posts as opposed to saddening news). Moreover, they used more irony cues, and their irony was more often rated as funny in the posttest. Implications for teachers and researchers are discussed.
About the authors
Caleb Prichard is an Associate Professor at Okayama University in Japan. In addition to publishing several studies on L2 humor competence instruction, he researches reading strategies through eye tracking.
John Rucynski is also an Associate Professor at Okayama University. He has edited two books and authored several articles on L2 humor.
Erin Gagatko is an instructor in the Global Teaching Institute at Tokyo International University.
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Artikel in diesem Heft
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- Caty Borum Chattoo and Lauren Feldman: A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar: The Serious Role of Comedy in Social Justice
- Ellie Tomsett: Stand-up Comedy and Contemporary Feminisms: Sexism, Stereotypes and Structural Inequalities
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Full Length Articles
- Dog tales: second-generation joke parties on the horizon
- Joke synonymy sensitivity among working comedians and the General Theory of Verbal Humor
- Banter as transformative practice: linguistic play and joking relationships in a UK swimming club
- Traditional identity contents predict women’s amusement with sexist jokes about men through benevolent but not hostile sexism
- The effect of instruction on L2 learners’ ability to use verbal irony online
- An examination of responses to ageist jokes
- Book Reviews
- Lanita Jacobs: To Be Real: Truth and Recial Authenticity in African American Standup Comedy
- Caty Borum Chattoo and Lauren Feldman: A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar: The Serious Role of Comedy in Social Justice
- Ellie Tomsett: Stand-up Comedy and Contemporary Feminisms: Sexism, Stereotypes and Structural Inequalities
- Alex Symons: Women Comedians in the Digital Age Media Work and Critical Reputations After Trump
- Sabrina Fuchs Abrams: New York Women of Wit in the Twentieth Century
