irony
Filtering by topic irony(1)Clear all filters
- PaperApplied Linguistics21 May 2026
Social perception of English irony: a comparison of L1 and L2 speakers
Kathrin Rothermich, Yunwen Su, Renuka Giles, Marc D Pell
L1 and advanced L2 English speakers judge literal and positive statements as more polite and appropriate than ironic ones, but L2 speakers are less willing to use irony themselves despite similar evaluation patterns. Sarcastic remarks were perceived as less polite than literal negative statements, challenging the Tinge Hypothesis. These findings highlight the role of paralinguistic cues and suggest that L2 speakers develop pragmatic comprehension before production.
Original abstract
Irony plays an important role in social communication, but its perceived politeness and appropriateness can vary across linguistic backgrounds. This study investigated how first-language (L1) English speakers and advanced second-language (L2) English speakers (Chinese L1) evaluate ironic (sarcastic, teasing) versus literal statements in audio-visual conversations. Participants watched videos and rated them on politeness, appropriateness, and their own likelihood of using them. Stimuli differed by communicative intent (positive vs. negative) and delivery style (literal vs. ironic). Both groups judged literal and positive statements as more polite and appropriate than ironic and negative ones. However, L1 and L2 speakers differed in how willing they were to use irony themselves, with L1 speakers preferring literal over ironic remarks more strongly than L2 speakers. Sarcastic remarks were judged less polite than literal negative statements, contrary to predictions of the Tinge Hypothesis that irony softens criticism. Our findings show that paralinguistic cues shape irony evaluation and that L2 speakers interpret irony similarly to L1 speakers but are more cautious about using it themselves. These results advance the understanding of intercultural pragmatics and L2 sociopragmatic development.