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In:The Pragmatics of Irony and Banter
Edited by Manuel Jobert and Sandrine Sorlin
[Linguistic Approaches to Literature 30] 2018
► pp. 81–99

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Chapter 5
Irony and semantic prosody revisited

 | University of Huddersfield, UK
Published online: 25 April 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lal.30.05mci
Abstract
This chapter explore Louw’s (1993) claim that deviation from conventionalised semantic prosodies can be indicative of irony. Taking account of criticisms of the concept of semantic prosody, I analyse a short extract from a sketch from the 1960 satirical revue Beyond the Fringe. I argue that the satire in the sketch derives in part from the projected irony and that semantic prosody can be a useful tool in uncovering this. However, I argue that to fully reveal the source of the ironic effects, it is necessary to utilise a more nuanced approach to semantic prosody, as well as to consider how semantic prosodies clash with each other, and how concepts such as semantic preference and Gricean implicature act as further triggers of irony.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2. Semantic prosody
    • 2.1 Semantic prosody and irony
    • 2.2 Semantic prosody as one aspect of extended units of meaning
    • 2.3 Semantic prosody versus semantic preference
  • 3.Irony in “Aftermyth of war”
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (25)
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