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Verbal irony

Device
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

A figure of speech in which the intended meaning is opposite to the literal words, often used for satire, humor, or emphasis.

Detailed Definition
Verbal irony arises when a speaker says one thing but means another, often the opposite, to critique, mock, or underscore complexity; in poetry, it relies on tone, context, or diction to signal the gap between literal statement and intended meaning.
Example
Example in poetry:
Verbal irony appears in Shakespeare’s sonnets: “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”; modern example: Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” uses “I used to pray to recover you” with bitter irony; verbal irony says opposite of meaning; it’s common in satire and confessional poetry; this device reveals complexity through contradiction; it often employs understatement.
Additional Notes
Verbal irony: Saying the opposite of what is meant, often for satire or emphasis (e.g., “What a pleasant day!” during a storm); relies on tone and context for recognition.
Also Known As
Verbal sarcasm Rhetorical irony Stated irony Explicit irony Irony ironic phrase Ironie
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