Chapter 9. Multimodal markers of irony in televised discourse

Abstract

This paper analyses multimodal features of two ironic constructions (Tell me about it and syntactically independent as if clauses) in television discourse. The results of the quantitative analysis show that a slower tempo, gaze aversion, raised eyebrows, smiles and head movements are features of ironic Tell me about it, while a lowered mean pitch, a pause after the clause and head tilts are more frequent with syntactically independent as if clauses. Furthermore, a subtype of independent as if clauses is distinguished, which is marked by a faster tempo, a pause before the clause, but no pauses within, and raised eyebrows. These results suggest that verbal irony is marked differently depending on the function the ironic construction fulfils.