What does the word sarcasm mean in literature? The meaning of the word sarcasm in the dictionary of literary terms

Today many people have a frivolous attitude towards life. They speak disrespectfully even about serious matters. Sarcasm is especially offensive. What is sarcasm and why is this mindset popular in society? Let’s find out!

Sarcastic remarks

Sarcastic humor dehumanizes others. To understand what sarcasm is, let's look at the origins of this word. Translated from Greek, the verb "sarcasm" literally means "to tear meat like dogs." Imagine a dog tearing meat from a bone with its teeth. Banter works in a similar way. Barbs are to the object of jokes what meat is to a dog.

Showing sarcasm in relationships

This topic is very relevant among children and teenagers and between loved ones, as well as at work among employees. In the question of what sarcasm is in relationships, there is a note of misunderstanding, which we will now dispel. If we talk about a sarcastic attitude towards children, it is clear that often the child does not distinguish what is being said seriously and does not take the joke. And, seeing laughing faces around him, he feels offended. What's worse is learning not to trust your feelings.

What can we say about sarcasm in adult relationships? How unpleasant it is to hear when a loved one humiliates or ridicules their loved one in the presence of others. Everyone around perceives this as a joke, and the victim as criticism of her. This humiliating condition must be stopped. You definitely need to talk about your feelings with your offender. If you don't do this, your partner's behavior will not change.

Sarcasm is emotional abuse

Unlike bruises that are visible on the body after physical abuse, sarcasm causes invisible changes in a person's mind and personality. This can change his attitude towards other people for a long time. What does sarcasm mean and why does it hurt so much?

According to one dictionary, sarcasm is the highest degree of caustic irony, based on veiled criticism and the comedy of a joke. It is considered a minor attack, but it is the basis for an argument.

Draw conclusions, be sincere with other people. Express your opinion directly, without resorting to sarcasm.

And treat the surrounding reality with humor. Nowadays on TV you can see a huge variety of grotesque elements that cause disgust and rejection. Therefore, citizens have developed a special attitude towards local realities, and now it is difficult to surprise them with anything. One of the elements of protecting one’s fragile psyche was Sarcasm, which means you can read it a little later. I recommend adding our website to your bookmarks so as not to miss anything useful and intriguing.
Before continuing, I would like to show you a couple more sensible articles on random topics. For example, what does Yushka mean, what is a Swedish family, how to understand the word Yazvit, what the term Scrap means, etc.
So let's continue what does sarcasm mean? This term was borrowed from the Greek "σαρκάζω", and is translated as "to tear apart the flesh."

Sarcasm- this is an unpleasant ridicule that contains a negative connotation, and usually indicates some shortcomings of a person, phenomenon, etc.

Sarcasm- this is the ability to praise a person so that he is very offended by you

Sarcasm- this is a caustic mockery, the highest degree of irony, a special type of satirical exposure based on the contrast between the expressed and the implied

You heard that Tolyan broke his leg snowboarding, he’s lucky, now he’ll rest in bed for a couple of weeks.

Why are you so pale, you must have seen your death?

It’s good in Germany now, German women are raped every day, it’s fun to watch.

Sarcasm is reminiscent of satire, since it tries to combat unpleasant and even hostile phenomena by ridiculing them. Harsh denunciation and ruthlessness are the hallmarks of sarcasm.
Irony is just a white fluffy cat compared to an evil and ferocious bear ( sarcasm). This method of joking is good because it allows you to veiledly show your indignation and hatred. Not every satirist and humorist dares to use sarcasm in their acts, so irony and satire are their lot.

The virtues of sarcasm

Disadvantages of Sarcasm

It is believed that a small amount of sarcasm in conversation is good for the brain, as it allows it to work at a higher speed.

After reading this article, you learned what does sarcasm mean, and why you shouldn’t resort to this kind of jokes so as not to offend your interlocutor.

Sarcasm, like irony, does not have one definition. The following options exist. The scientific definition is as follows: Sarcasm (Greek literally “to tear [meat] apart”) is one of the types of satirical exposure, caustic ridicule, the highest degree of irony, based not only on the enhanced contrast of the implied and the expressed, but also on the immediate deliberate exposure of the implied.”

Sarcasm (from Greek literally - tearing meat) is one of the types of comic; the highest degree of irony, a caustic, evil mockery of the depicted phenomenon.

Macmillan Dictionary defines it as follows:

Sarcasm - the activity of saying or writing the opposite of what you mean, or of speaking in away intended to make someone else feel stupid or show them that you are angry.

Publishing house Longman in the dictionary “Dictionary of English Language and Culture” gives the following definition:

Sarcasm n. Speaking or writing using expressions, which clearly mean the opposite to what is felt, especially in order to be unkind or offensive in an amusing way: She was an hour late. “Good of you to come,” he said with heavy /withering sarcasm. Almost all satirical literature is filled with elements of sarcasm. Examples of sarcasm are also found in Russian folk poetry. This type of comic, thanks to special accusatory and accusatory forms, received the widest distribution in lyrical and didactic genres, as well as in oratory. Sarcasm is one of the most important stylistic devices used in satire and humor.

In fact, it became widespread during the development of ancient Greek and Roman philosophy. Many philosophers actively used sarcasm to ridicule rulers and major officials. During the Renaissance, sarcasm manifested itself in literature and even in painting.

In the modern world, sarcasm has found application on the Internet, where it has gained popularity. Sarcasm gradually deformed, turning into “trolling.” People who engage in trolling are quite obviously called “trolls.” The word “trolling” does not come from the word “troll”, but from the word “trolling” meaning “to catch fish with a lure.” Trolls write provocative messages on the Internet, making other users angry. For example: In a group (on a social network) dedicated to vegetarians, a troll will leave the following sarcastic messages:

“A person must definitely eat meat. This is how nature intended"

Or more subtly (subtle trolling):

“Scientists conducted an experiment. They took two lions: one was fed a small amount of meat, and the other was fed a large amount of vegetables. A week later the vegetarian lion died.”

Differences between sarcasm and irony:

As already mentioned in one of the definitions, sarcasm is the highest degree of irony, that is, one of its varieties. But these concepts cannot be identified, since each of them has its own distinctive features. Longman's Dictionary of English Language and Culture explains the differences between sarcasm and irony: Sarcasm does not necessarily involve irony, and irony has often no touch of sarcasm. But irony, or the use of expressions conveying different things according as they are interpreted, is so often made the vehicle of sarcasm, or the utterance of things designed to hurt the feelings, that in popular use the two are much confused. The essence of sarcasm is the intention of giving pain by (ironical or other) bitter words.

Many people who hear an ironic remark may not realize that it is meant as a joke. Therefore, irony is much more subversive than sarcasm, and also a much funnier form of entertainment - those who realize that an ironic remark has been made instantly feel complicit and can take pleasure in the fact that there are people who missed the joke?.

Sarcasm is a characteristic that is very specific to each language, and it is often very difficult to guess when a foreigner is being sarcastic.

Irony is a subtle comic tool. It is close to wit, a joke, when the contrast between the literal meaning of words and the true meaning of a statement causes laughter.

A judgment filled with sarcasm is never funny: it characterizes the object of speech from the standpoint of moral assessment, reflecting subjective rejection and condemnation.

As a literary device, irony gives expressiveness to the content of a work, and stylistic originality to the form of presentation. An ironic remark can demonstrate the author's attitude towards the character or the situation being described, emphasize the absurdity of the situation, and reduce the pretentiousness and imaginary significance of the images.

Sarcasm is used for harsh criticism, in the light of which the ugliness of personal human qualities or the immorality of life positions acquire not just a caricature form, but also cause uncompromising public censure.

We can also highlight the following differences between irony and sarcasm:

· Irony is a method of veiled, hidden negative assessment of the object of speech.

· Sarcasm is a trope in which a figurative accusatory meaning is expressed with a minimal degree of allegory.

· The form of an ironic statement is always positive, in contrast to hidden ridicule, to which its meaning boils down.

· A sarcastic remark or address has a direct indication of the subject of derogatory criticism.

· Irony is used as a type of comic in humorous literary works and oral figurative speech.

· Sarcasm is never mild; As a sharply satirical means of artistic expression, it is usually used in accusatory oratorical speeches and journalistic texts with socio-political content.

Sarcasm: what is it for the current generation? A way to humiliate your interlocutor or just have a witty laugh, well hiding your ridicule behind words incomprehensible to the “victim”? In recent times, especially in the social activity of teenagers, the word “sarcasm” has lost its meaning; instead, the concept of “trolling” has come into use. But what is the true meaning of the word sarcasm, when should it be used, and how does it differ from trolling?

What is sarcasm

If you quote all the truisms, then this is the highest degree of irony. Sarcasm is a well-hidden mockery that exposes an opponent. Simply by insulting someone directly, you can feel like an outright boor or even a cattle. But if you veil your caustic expression in front of your interlocutor, tell him what you want and at the same time remain unnoticed, receiving in response only an awkward, barely smiling nod due to a lack of understanding of what was said, then you no longer feel as if you are the last inhabitant of the unkemptest local tavern. From here, answering the question of what sarcasm is, we can come to the main irreplaceable detail of such ridicule. Sarcasm is not just an opportunity to laugh at a person, it is the ability to say something negative to his face, hiding what was said in a kind of joke. It is absolutely merciless in nature, since it is designed to expose the opponent. Therefore, sarcasm is often harsh and does not “soften corners”; sometimes it even seriously offends the interlocutor. People on TV screens love to use this technique, namely the hosts of various shows, politicians, various stars, and so on. Since the current generation has moved forward quite a lot, it is now very fashionable to post sarcastic messages on personal micro-blogs on Twitter and Vkontakte. So, if we talk about what sarcasm is now, it is often a way to humiliate a person publicly, using its ability to instantly disseminate information (it is enough for a famous person to write just one tweet so that the entire Internet community is aware of the matter in the next few minutes).

The difference between the meanings of “sarcasm” and “trolling”

Without going into details, these two concepts really remind each other very much, however, the new term (relatively) does not quite accurately convey the idea of ​​sarcasm. This enchanting taunt must be properly managed, since in some cases the opponent may simply be smarter, responding with a much stronger sarcastic expression. You should also think about whether you would like the interlocutor to understand the ridicule, or do you want the rest of the listeners to understand it? It is important. However, this does not matter if the “victim” does not know what sarcasm is, in which case the ridicule will not be very interesting. Trolls use sarcasm as one of their main weapons to mock and ridicule their “victims.” They do this for no reason, often not with the goal of showing themselves smarter and others dumber - which is what sarcasm itself is for - but only for humiliation and simply for the sake of arguing out of nowhere. But be that as it may, sarcasm will always be alive, since although it does not carry anything positive in itself, it nevertheless makes a person feel somewhat more pleasant when sarcastic expressions are truly successful.

Existence in modern society presupposes that an individual has a sense of humor - this makes it easier to “fit in” with society. Any topic - from politics to blondes - is impossible to imagine without ironic intervention. Our beloved (sarcasm?) traffic cops and deputies very often become the subjects of sarcastic jokes.

Sarcasm is a sarcastic statement that often has a positive connotation, but is exclusively negative in nature. That’s why some people sometimes can’t “see” it. Typically, sarcasm is a mockery in which there is a tangible difference between what is said and what is implied. Also, this method of ridicule shows the true attitude of the speaker towards the object of ridicule.

Sarcasm differs from irony in that the latter is the most cruel. Irony is petty banter, while sarcasm is deliberate, sarcastic ridicule of shortcomings. Moreover, in sarcasm the external meaning and subtext stand out very clearly. Simply put, sarcasm is poisonous irony. It expresses a high degree of hatred and indignation.

The use of sarcasm in journalism, poetry, prose, and polemics has become firmly established in our lives. This technique is widely used in literary criticism. Many writers use it to highlight negativity in social and political events. But one should not assume that sarcasm on their part is open aggression. On the contrary, it can be seen as a method of fighting “the system.”

It is very easy to cross the line between sarcasm and irony, but the use of the former is justified by the ability to more clearly express a thought. Everyone’s favorite Vladimir Mayakovsky and Faina Ranevskaya were masters of words: their sarcastic phrases are still remembered and quoted by people. They opened their eyes to existing problems with “taste.” That's why the authorities didn't like them, that's why they were condemned and tried to exterminate them. Because it hooked people, because they removed the veil of “decency” and the whole truth, the essence, was revealed.

In modern filmography, the “king” of sarcasm is considered to be Dr. House from the series of the same name. He has no empathy for his patients and spews venom at everyone in his brilliantly sarcastic manner.

Phrases with sarcasm are not a humorous joke, which reveals a funny reality with a dose of sympathy and which is endearing. The comedy of sarcasm may not be clearly expressed, and dissatisfaction can be shown quite openly and assertively.

Sarcasm is a good policy of discontent and indignation. In the end, perhaps, he will be able to rid people of obscene speech and fill indignation with eloquence.

Surprisingly, many people are unable to recognize sarcasm. Although it represents a caustic mockery, it is often veiled as a positive judgment, so some may take it for slight irony or, even worse, for praise or a compliment.

The use of sarcastic expressions in literature can be considered justified, but when communicating with loved ones you need to monitor the degree of sarcasticness, so to speak. Often in youth social circles ridicule with sarcastic statements is common. But they can humiliate and “trample” the self-esteem of the person being ridiculed. Therefore, you should not use this technique with new and receptive old acquaintances.