Irony and Sarcasm - (MIT Press Essential Knowledge) by Roger Kreuz (Paperback)

About the Book

"This book provides a concise summary of the concepts "irony" and "sarcasm": what they mean, how they have been used over time, and how they differ from the related concepts like coincidence, paradox, satire, and parody. The use of these terms, from Greek philosophers to postmodern theorists, is briefly sketched, and empirical research on why people use such language, and how it is comprehended, is provided. The book is leavened with quotations about irony and sarcasm, examples from popular culture (including an analysis of Alanis Morissette's song "Ironic"), television programs, and the use of irony and sarcasm online, both in words and also via emoticons, emoji, hashtags, and internet memes. The book is unique in that it provides a succinct yet comprehensive overview of the history of these terms, as well as empirical research by cognitive scientists. It will provide careful writers with the background and context that is necessary to employ these terms with confidence, or to use other terms if they are more appropriate"--

Book Synopsis

A biography of two troublesome words.

Isn't it ironic? Or is it? Never mind, I'm just being sarcastic (or am I?). Irony and sarcasm are two of the most misused, misapplied, and misunderstood words in our conversational lexicon. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, psycholinguist Roger Kreuz offers an enlightening and concise overview of the life and times of these two terms, mapping their evolution from Greek philosophy and Roman rhetoric to modern literary criticism to emojis.

Kreuz describes eight different ways that irony has been used through the centuries, proceeding from Socratic to dramatic to cosmic irony. He explains that verbal irony--irony as it is traditionally understood--refers to statements that mean something different (frequently the opposite) of what is literally intended, and defines sarcasm as a type of verbal irony. Kreuz outlines the prerequisites for irony and sarcasm (one of which is a shared frame of reference); clarifies what irony is not (coincidence, paradox, satire) and what it can be (among other things, a socially acceptable way to express hostility); recounts ways that people can signal their ironic intentions; and considers the difficulties of online irony. Finally, he wonders if, because irony refers to so many different phenomena, people may gradually stop using the word, with sarcasm taking over its verbal duties.

Review Quotes

Choice 2021 Outstanding Academic Title

"Roger Kreuz's compelling pocket-sized book Irony and Sarcasm successfully consolidates and clarifies the subject matter for a readership of both specialists and non-specialists alike."-Metaphor and Symbol

About the Author

Roger Kreuz is Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Psychology at the University of Memphis. He is the coauthor (with Richard Roberts) of Becoming Fluent: How Cognitive Science Can Help Adults Learn a Foreign Language, Getting Through: The Pleasures and Perils of Cross-Cultural Communication, and Changing Minds: How Aging Affects Language and How Language Affects Aging (all published by the MIT Press).