What is verbal irony? - Christopher Warner

Translator: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

翻译人员: Muyun Zhou 校对人员: Tianshu Wang

Great weather we're having!

我们可真赶上了个好天气！

Awesome job!

干得漂亮！

You're a tremendous athlete!

你真是个了不起的运动员！

Compliments, right?

赞扬的话，对吧？

Well, maybe.

或许吧

Depending on the attitude

取决于讲话时的态度

and tone of voice behind these lines,

和语气

they very well may be compliments.

它们很有可能是赞誉

They may also be, though,

却也有可能

pointed and attacking lines.

是尖锐的责难

This slight change of attitude behind the lines

说话时细微的语气变化

reveals what we call verbal irony.

形成了我们所谓的“反语”

So when someone says, "Great weather we're having,"

当有人说：“我们真赶上了个好天气！”

it is quite possible that the person really means that

的确有可能那人真的是指

if the sun is shining,

阳光明媚

the birds are singing,

鸟语花香

and the wind is calm.

微风拂面

But if the weather is horrible,

但如果天气很糟糕

the clouds are looming,

乌云密布

and the wind is a raging tempest,

狂风骤雨

and someone says, "Great weather we're having,"

然后还有人说：“我们真赶上了个好天气！”

he probably doesn't actually mean that.

他很有可能想表达的并不是那个意思

He probably means that the weather is horrible,

他有可能想表达天气很糟糕

but he has said the opposite.

却说了相反的话

This is verbal irony

这就是反语

when the speaker says the opposite of what he means.

也就是讲话者说的话和话的意思相反

I know what you're thinking.

Isn't this sarcasm,

我知道你在想什么

这不是讽刺吗？

isn't the speaker being sarcastic?

讲话者不是在讽刺吗？

Yes.

是的

When a speaker says the opposite of what he means,

当讲话者说的话和话的意思相反时

that is verbal irony.

就是反语

When a speaker then goes the step farther

而当讲话者再进一步

to mean the opposite of what he says

表达和他所说的话直接相反的内容时

and seeks to be a little pointed and mean,

并且语气略显尖锐刻薄

like he's making fun of something,

好像在讥笑什么似的

then you have sarcasm.

就形成了讽刺

Take the second example:

来看第二个例子

"Awesome job!"

“干得漂亮！”

Someone accomplishing his life-long dream:

有人达成了人生理想

awesome!

漂亮！

Someone winning a sports championship:

有人赢得了运动冠军

awesome!

漂亮！

Someone rear-ends another car:

有人追尾了别人的车

not awesome.

并不漂亮

So when the passenger says, "Awesome job!"

这时如果乘客说，“干得漂亮！”

they probably mean the opposite

他们大概就是在说相反的意思了

with a hint of poking fun.

甚至有一点取笑的意味

That is verbal irony and that is sarcastic.

这就既是反语又是讽刺

"You're a talented athlete," said to an Olympian:

如果对一个奥林匹克运动员说 “你真是个有天赋的运动员。”

authentic, no verbal irony present.

这就很真诚，并不包含反语

Said to the klutzy kid tripping into English class

如果对一个跌跌撞撞地走进英语教室

and spilling his books and pencil case all over the room,

还把他的课本和铅笔盒散得满教室都是 的孩子说这句话

now that is just harsh and verbally ironic

这就不只是语言戏谑而刺耳了

because what you said is not what you meant.

因为你说话的内容并不是你想表达的意思

That is verbal irony.

这是反语

You have said the opposite of what you mean.

你说话的内容与你想表达的意思相反

Additionally, since you have the intention

除此之外，由于你是出于

of mocking this poor person,

嘲笑弱小的心理

you have not only been verbally ironic,

你不仅仅是在说反话

but sarcastic as well.

还是在讽刺

Beware, though.

但是，请记住

While all sarcasm fits the definition of verbal irony,

尽管所有讽刺都是包含在反语里的

not all verbal irony is sarcastic.

但不是所有的反语都是讽刺

Verbal irony is where what is meant

反语是指想表达的意思

is the opposite of what is said,

和表达内容相反

while sarcasm adds that little punch of attitude.

而讽刺则加重了说话时的语气

There are times, though,

但是，在个别情况下

where another layer of meaning can be present

我们可以表达深一层的含义

without that sarcastic tone.

而不需要讽刺

Alright, now go out there

好，现在就请大家在生活里

and find those examples of verbal irony and sarcasm.

寻找反语和讽刺的例子

Good luck!

祝你们好运！

No, seriously, I mean it, good luck.

不开玩笑，我是认真的，祝你们好运

No, no, really,

不，我是认真的

I truly want to wish you luck on this difficult task.

我真心祝你们能攻克这个难题

Ok, ok, sincerely good luck.

好吧，好吧，我真心祝福你们

You can do it!

你能做得到！

No verbal irony here.

这回不是反语了