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ゆっくり､やさしい英語だが、実は奥が深い。 （特に irony と sarcasm ['sɑ：rkæzm] ）

易　03分・・150wpm　　2014/05/02 新出
　
字幕：上の動画は開始後 で英語On/Off｡ 日本語選択､文字ｻｲｽﾞはｵﾌﾟｼｮﾝから｡
.　　　　　　　 （YouTubeは 日本語On/Off。 英語選択｡）

★下記英文はマウスオーバー辞書が使えます｡　　　　　　　 　　　　

Great weather we're having! Awesome job! You're a tremendous athlete! Compliments（ほめ言葉）, right? Well, maybe. Depending on the attitude and tone of voice behind these lines, they very well may be compliments.

They may also be, though, pointed and attacking lines. This slight change of attitude behind the lines reveals what we call verbal irony. So when someone says, "Great weather we're having," it is quite possible that the person really means that if the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the wind is calm.

But if the weather is horrible, the clouds are looming, and the wind is a raging tempest, and someone says, "Great weather we're having," he probably doesn't actually mean that. He probably means that the weather is horrible, but he has said the opposite.

This is verbal irony when the speaker says the opposite of what he means. I know what you're thinking. Isn't this sarcasm（あてこすり）, isn't the speaker being
sarcastic（いやみ）? Yes. When a speaker says the opposite of what he means, that is verbal irony. When a speaker then goes the step farther to mean the opposite of what he says and seeks to be a little pointed and mean, like he's making fun of something, then you have sarcasm.

Take the second example: "Awesome job!" Someone accomplishing his life-long dream: awesome! Someone winning a sports championship: awesome! Someone rear-ends another car: not awesome. So when the passenger says, "Awesome job!" they probably mean the opposite with a hint of poking fun（からかい）.

That is verbal irony and that is sarcastic. "You're a talented athlete," said to an Olympian: authentic, no verbal irony present. Said to the klutzy（不器用な） kid tripping into English class and spilling his books and pencil case all over the room, now that is just harsh（辛辣な） and verbally ironic because what you said is not what you meant.

That is verbal irony. You have said the opposite of what you mean. Additionally, since you have the intention of mocking（あざける） this poor person, you have not only been verbally ironic, but sarcastic as well. Beware, though. While all sarcasm fits the definition of verbal irony, not all verbal irony is sarcastic.

Verbal irony is where what is meant is the opposite of what is said, while sarcasm adds that little punch of attitude. There are times, though, where another layer of meaning can be present without that sarcastic tone.

Alright, now go out there and find those examples of verbal irony and sarcasm. Good luck! No, seriously, I mean it, good luck. No, no, really, I truly want to wish you luck on this difficult task. Ok, ok, sincerely good luck. You can do it! No verbal irony here.