Great weather we're having! Awesome job! You're a tremendous athlete! Compliments, right? Well, maybe. Depending on the attitude and tone of voice behind these lines, they very well may be compliments. They may also be, though, pointed and attacking lines. This slight change of attitude behind the lines reveals what we call verbal irony. So when someone says, "Great weather we're having," it is quite possible that the person really means that if the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the wind is calm. But if the weather is horrible, the clouds are looming, and the wind is a raging tempest, and someone says, "Great weather we're having," he probably doesn't actually mean that. He probably means that the weather is horrible, but he has said the opposite. This is verbal irony when the speaker says the opposite of what he means. I know what you're thinking. Isn't this sarcasm, isn't the speaker being sarcastic? Yes. When a speaker says the opposite of what he means, that is verbal irony. When a speaker then goes the step farther to mean the opposite of what he says and seeks to be a little pointed and mean, like he's making fun of something, then you have sarcasm. Take the second example: "Awesome job!" Someone accomplishing his life-long dream: awesome! Someone winning a sports championship: awesome! Someone rear-ends another car: not awesome. So when the passenger says, "Awesome job!" they probably mean the opposite with a hint of poking fun. That is verbal irony and that is sarcastic. "You're a talented athlete," said to an Olympian: authentic, no verbal irony present. Said to the klutzy kid tripping into English class and spilling his books and pencil case all over the room, now that is just harsh and verbally ironic because what you said is not what you meant. That is verbal irony. You have said the opposite of what you mean. Additionally, since you have the intention of mocking this poor person, you have not only been verbally ironic, but sarcastic as well. Beware, though. While all sarcasm fits the definition of verbal irony, not all verbal irony is sarcastic. Verbal irony is where what is meant is the opposite of what is said, while sarcasm adds that little punch of attitude. There are times, though, where another layer of meaning can be present without that sarcastic tone. Alright, now go out there and find those examples of verbal irony and sarcasm. Good luck! No, seriously, I mean it, good luck. No, no, really, I truly want to wish you luck on this difficult task. Ok, ok, sincerely good luck. You can do it! No verbal irony here.
天氣真好! 做得棒極了! 你真是個很棒的運動員! 這是稱讚,對吧? 嗯,也許吧 這要取決於 這些話背後的 態度和語氣 它們很可能是稱讚 但他們也可能是 刺耳又具攻擊性的話語 句子背後 態度上的微小差異 透露著我們稱作「言辭性反語」的觀念 (譯註:即第一集所稱之「言辭性諷刺」。) 當有人說「天氣真好」時 很可能這個人 真的是這個意思 前提是陽光很普照 鳥兒在唱歌 風很舒爽的時候 但如果天氣實在很糟 烏雲出現 狂風肆虐 而有人卻說「天氣真好」時 他可能就不是這個意思 他可能是想說天氣實在很糟 但他說了反話 這就是言辭性反語 意思是一個人 說的話和他想的是相反的 我知道你在想什麼 這不是反諷嗎? 不是那個人在挖苦嗎? 的確 當一個人說的和想的相反 這是反語 但是當他更進一步 在他的反話中 再加一點點指責與惡意 彷彿他在嘲笑某件事 那這就是反諷了 像是第二個例子: 「做得棒極了!」 有人完成了他終身的夢想: 棒極了! 有人贏了某項運動金牌: 棒極了! 有人追撞了別輛車: 不棒了 所以當乘客說「幹得好」 他們可能在說反話 帶有一點挖苦的意思 這是反語也是反諷 對著奧運選手說: 「你真是個有天份的運動員」 發自內心的 不是反語 對一位笨手笨腳 跌進英文教室 又把書本和筆 散落一地的小孩這麼說 這既說了反話又很惡毒 因為你說的和你想的不一樣 這就是反語 你說了和心裡不一致的話 附帶一提,因為你還故意 嘲笑這個可憐的傢伙 你不只是說了反話 你同時也在反諷 注意這點 反語的範圍包含反諷 但是並不是所有反語都是反諷 反語是指你說的 和你想的相反 而反諷則帶有一些敵意 但有些時候 另一層意涵可能 沒有挖苦的意味 好了,現在走出去 找看看一些反語以及反諷的例子吧 祝你好運! 不,我是認真的,祝你好運 不,不,真的 我誠摯地祝福你 在這困難的任務上一切順利 好,真心地祝服你 你可以做到的! 這不是反語