Irony in Language Use and Communication

Book excerpt: The volume provides original research and analyses of the multi-faceted conceptual and verbal process(es) of irony. Key topics explored include interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches to the study of irony. Collectively, the papers examine irony from psychology, embodiment studies, philosophy, cognitive linguistics, the connection and impact of irony on culture and (media) communication, different approaches to verbal irony and others—ultimately attempting to model the mechanisms underlying ironic forms and the psycholinguistic motivations for their investigation. The comprehensive treatment of these issues is fundamental for future research on irony and related phenomena, particularly on questions of its usage, the diversity and/or unity of irony and ultimately the interrelationships between figurative thought and language.