It is certainly verbal, and I understand what I am saying ironically, but it is not something that falls under the concept of verbal irony, because that term is used conventionally. The expressions that a community uses to designate the terms for which it is used do not always prove to be adapted to all the situations that reality confronts us. Here we find ourselves in another kind of irony, for which the conventional term is situational irony. One would expect the term “verbal irony” to cover such situations, but it turns out that this is not the case. This kind of counter-countering of expectation by result is a common element of action in literature (as in real life). Verbal irony is when you say something other than what you want to say. This is done intentionally through the speaker, often in the hope that the listener or audience will recognize the presence of irony. Here, in separate cases, we have a verbal irony (she pronounces time in an obnoxious way to celebrate how wonderful it is) and a dramatic irony (for me, but not for her, time is abhorrent, but she doesn`t know it). We can now focus on the difference: verbal irony can be a powerful tool in writing dialogue. When a character says exactly what he means, it can be uninteresting both for the actor who provides the lines and for the audience who sees them.
You may have heard that there are three types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic. In fact, there are many other types that we will mention later, but these are generally considered to be the three most important. Socratic irony is when you simulate ignorance in order to get something from someone (i.e. “play stupidly”). For example, if your parents know the truth but play stupidly to keep you trapped in a lie. Since verbal irony involves saying one thing but saying another, you`d be forgiven for thinking it`s the same as lying. However, there is a difference. In The Office, Jim Dwight is constantly playing pranks. He`s able to do this because Dwight is pretty gullible – he believes almost everything you say, especially if it`s something he WANTS to believe. like vampires.
Jim uses verbal irony to convince Dwight that he is slowly turning into a vampire. And it`s one of the best pranks in the series. Check out the hilarious clip below. The word “irony” confuses many people and in particular what is meant by “verbal irony”. We often say that we are “ironic” without really knowing what that means. You`ve probably learned verbal irony in school, as well as a number of other literary means that are often (and wrongly) used interchangeably. The office certainly has a lot of verbal irony, but it`s not the only entertainment property known for it. Let`s take a look at other examples of verbal irony from film and television. In this example, Tom`s body language and emphasis on the word “definitely” show that he clearly eats a cookie but pretends not to.
These non-verbal cues help explain that it is ironic. The use of the verb “smile” emphasizes that he is not trying to lie, and the added emphasis on “never” reinforces the impression that this is verbal irony. A classic example of exaggeration can be found in 101 Dalmatians, when Rolley describes how hungry he is. Watch the clip to hear the only animal that could satisfy his hunger. Two ways to use verbal irony are euphemism and exaggeration. But what is euphemism and exaggeration? In terms of presentation, euphemism is when something is minimized, and exaggeration when something is exaggerated. Take, for example, a television show set in a hospital. We see a doctor looking anxiously at the medical notes. We can see that the test shows a terminal diagnosis. Now he cuts to the patient surrounded by family members. “I`ll be out of here in no time!” she explains. As observers, we know that things are far from acceptable to the poor patient.
The dramatic irony arises because their words unknowingly say the opposite of what we know will happen. Verbal irony is very common in everyday speeches, plays, novels, and poems, and usually occurs in the form of sarcasm. It depends on the time and circumstances appropriate to achieve its effect. Verbal irony develops funny and dramatic situations. Through verbal irony, writers and poets can convey their bitter messages indirectly, in a less bitter and more effective way. It makes a literary play more effective by encouraging readers to analyze a situation and think about it more intensely. By juxtaposing and comparing assumptions with reality, readers can better understand the author`s intent. Sarcasm is the verbal irony with attitude – the intention is to hurt or mock someone. The extent of cruelty can range from light jokes to downright evil jokes. In fact, Oedipus misunderstood The Statement of Tiresias: “.
which I can also call your sorrow. By this, Tiresias means that if he reveals the truth, it would become oedipus` mourning that he is the murderer of his king Laius. It is a verbal irony that Oedipus does not realize that this “sorrow” will be an imminent fate for him. Irony and sarcasm are often confused because they are interconnected. However, sarcasm is not considered a literary medium. Many people think it`s sharing elements of verbal irony or as a subtype. And what about my answer (“I couldn`t agree anymore!”) ? In fact, I don`t agree at all – I just say this to be polite and get going. Maybe I`ll let my friend develop the irony later, but not now that I`m almost late for class. Is this a case of “verbal irony”? It is certainly verbal, and I understand what I am saying ironically, but it is not something that falls under the concept of verbal irony, since this term is used conventionally (note). Rather, it is an example of a kind of hypocrisy that we call “deliberate hypocrisy.” Macbeth says this when Banquo, the man he wants to murder, comes to a feast. Is this an example of verbal irony? If you`re not sure if something is verbal irony or not, look at the speaker`s intent.
When they intentionally say the opposite of what they think or feel to bring it out, it`s verbal irony, like this example in the popular movie Mean Girls. 4. In William Golding`s The Lord of the Flies, a group of schoolchildren are stranded on an island while there is war in the world around them. Piggy, one of the characters, says they behave like a “crowd of children” and that the adults have “drunk tea and talked” about their situation. His statement is ironic because of the adult war raging around the world. Although we often refer to all three types of irony, there are many others. We can certainly imagine situations in which morally censored forms of hypocrisy are at work. They will have the same general form that is different from that of verbal irony: the speaker knows something about the situation he is hiding from the listener by making a statement with a meaning that he does not want to say sincerely. .