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mocking

Adjective
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Describing language that ridicules, derides, or satirically imitates its subject, often through tone, exaggeration, or ironic framing.

Detailed Definition
Mocking describes tone, diction, or rhetorical strategies that ridicule, mimic derisively, or scorn their subjects. In poetry, mocking voice may employ parody, sarcasm, or exaggerated imitation to criticize, satirize, or express contempt for targets.
Example
Example in poetry:
Mocking: Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” satirizes epic form for trivial events; A contemporary poem: “Ode to a Selfie Stick” mocks digital narcissism; Plath’s “The Applicant” uses dark humor to critique gender roles; Mocking verse employs irony, exaggeration, and parody to expose folly; Tone ranges from playful to scathing.
Additional Notes
Language that ridicules, belittles, or treats its subject with contempt or derision. A tone as much as a device, mocking language appears in satire, flyting, and comic verse. Related to irony, sarcasm, and invective. Contrasts with elegiac or reverential tone. Learners should distinguish between playful mockery (light satire) and harsh derision (invective) by attending to the degree of contempt embedded in word choice.
Also Known As
Satirical verse Derisive poetry Scornful lines Ridiculing verse Diasyrmic Scornful
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