反语的幽默属性和语用功能-0

反语的幽默属性和语用功能[Abstract]Verbalirony,asawidelyusedfigureofspeech,hasrecEivedconsiderableattentionfromcognitivepsychologistsandlinguists.Thetraditionalstudyofverbalironyfromrhetoricalandaestheticalapproacheshasbeenshiftedtocurrentcognitiveandpragmaticinvestigation.Inthispaper,focuswillbelaiduponthehumorfeatureofverbalironyfromtheperspectiveofpragmatics.First,throughthecomparisonofdifferentkindsofdefinitionsofirony,ageneralideaaboutwhatisironyisestablished.Then,thispaperexaminestheCooperativePrinciple(CPforshort)ofAmericanlinguistGricewhichputforwardsthatironyactsasaviolationofCP.Lastbutnottheleast,withthehelpofthecomparisonofthepragmaticfunctionsofEnglishironyandChineseirony,thehumorfeatureofverbalironycanbewelldisplayed.InEnglish,ironycouldbeusedtostateone’snegativeattitudetosomething.Itcouldbeusedasameanstosatirize,anapproachtopoliteness,anapproachtohumor.Chineseironycanbeclassifiedintofivetypesfromtheperspectiveofpragmaticfunctionsasfollows:ironyforcommendationandderogation,ironyforsatire,ironyforfun,ironyforaffectionandironyforemphasis.Thepragmaticfunctionsofironyinbothlanguagesaresimilar.

[KeyWords]verbalirony;pragmaticfunction;humor;EnglishandChineseironies

【摘要】反语作为一种普遍使用的修辞格，引起了认知心理学家和语言学家的关注。反语研究的角度从传统的修辞学和美学转向了认知心理学和语用学的探究。本文首先从定义和分类上，对反语进行认知层面上的归纳总结。其次，基于语用学角度分析了反语与合作原则和礼貌原则的联系。反语违反合作原则主要体现在对质量准则的违反上。反语作为一种间接言语，成为礼貌的一种手段。反语原则独立于礼貌原则之外，是对礼貌原则的一大补充。此外，反语是言语幽默的一种表现形式。英汉反语的语用功能大致相似，但也存在不少差异。文中对此异同进行归纳总结，从而得知，反语的幽默属性是其基本属性，在其语用功能中也得到了很好的体现。

【关键词】反语；语用功能；幽默；英汉反语

1.Introduction

Ironyisacommonlinguisticphenomenoninverbalcommunication.Recentyearshaveseenamushroomgrowthofdistinctlyangledtheorizationsinthisorientation,whichneverthelessexhibitstrongcomplementarity.Traditionally,ironyistreatedasafigureofspeechwhoseintendedmeaningistheoppositeofthatexpressedbythewordsuttered.Thestudyofironyinthiswaybelongstothatofrhetoric.AmericanlinguistGricetakesironyasoneofthosefiguresofspeechthatfloutstheCooperativePrinciple(CPforshort),especiallytheMaximofQuality.Ironyinterpretedunderthispragmaticmodelconveysthecontradictionofwhatisliterallysaid.LinguistsSperberandWilsontreatironyasanechoicmentionwhilelinguistCuddonstatesthat“Atitssimplest,verbalironyinvolvessayingwhatonedoesn’tmean.”[1]

Inthispaper,focuswillbelaiduponthehumorfeatureofverbalironyfromtheperspectiveofpragmatics.First,throughthecomparisonofdifferentkindsofdefinitionsofirony,ageneralideaaboutwhatisironyisestablished.Secondly,thispaperexaminesGriceanCooperativePrinciplewhichputforwardsthatironyactsasaviolationofCP.Thirdly,withthehelpofLeech’sideaofirony,thepragmaticfunctionofironycouldbebetterdisplayed.Finally,thelastpointisaboutthepragmaticfunctionsofbothEnglishironyandChineseirony.Inaword,ironyisonewaytoproducehumorinverbalcommunication.

2.Whatisirony

Itisdifficulttodefinethewordof“irony”whichcouldbeunderstoodinvariousways.Theexpansionofitsresearchareamaybethedirectcauseofthediversityofthedefinitionofirony.Thefollowingaresomedefinitionsofironyfromdictionaries.

Dictionarydefinitionsofirony

1)Expressionofone’smeaningbysayingthedirectoppositeofone’sthoughtsinordertobeemphatic,amusing,sarcastic,etc.[2]

OxfordAdvancedLearner’sEnglish-ChineseDictionary

2)Useofwordswhichareclearlyoppositetoone’smeaning,usuallyEItherinordertobeamusingortoshowannoyance(bysaying‘Whatcharmingbehaviour’whensomeonehasbeenrude.)[3]

LongmanDictionaryofEnglishLanguage&Culture(English-Chinese)

3)Ironyisaliterarytechniquethatachievestheeffectofsayingonethingandmeaninganotherthroughtheuseofhumorormildsarcasm.[4]

Webster’sNewWorldEncyclopedia

4)Theuseofwordstoexpresssomethingotherthanandespeciallytheoppositeoftheliteralmeaning.[5]

WebsterEnglishDictionary

5)Ironyisafigureofspeechthatachievesemphasisbysayingtheoppositeofwhatismeant,theintendedmeaningofthewordsbeingtheoppositeoftheirusualsense.Thisformofironyiscalledverbalirony,anddiffersfromthestylisticdeviceofdramaticirony.[6]

EnglishRhetoricalOptions

6)DefinitionofironyfromGrolierInternationalDictionary:

a).Anexpressionorutterancemarkedbysuchadeliberatecontrastbetweenapparentandintendedmeaning,forhumorousorrhetoricaleffect.

b).Incongruitybetweenwhatmightbeexpectedandwhatoccurs.[7]

Theabovedefinitions,althoughexplainedbydifferentexpertsfromdifferentangles,roughlydisplaythenatureofironyfromboththeformandfunction.Amongthesedefinitions,thebasicmeaningofironycouldbefoundas“sayingonethingbutmeaninganother.”Thebestdescriptionofirony,say,theGrolierInternationalDictionary,takesboththeformandfunctionofironyintoconsiderationandgivesusabetterpicture.However,allofthesedefinitionshavesomeshortcomings.First,noneofthemprovidesaneffectivewaytoidentifyironyfromnon-irony.Second,theybasicallyregardironyasatropeorafigureofspeechwhoseliteralandconnotativemeaningsaremutuallyopposedtoeachother.Thistraditionalunderstandinghasbeenunderchallengesbymodernresearch.

ofirony

Theclassificationofironyispresentedindifferentwaysbythosewhoworkonit.Boothidentifiesquiteanumberoftypes:tragicirony,comicirony,stableirony,unstableirony,dramaticirony,situationalirony,verbalirony,rhetoricalironysoonandsoforth.KreuzandRobertsdistinguishfourtypesofirony:Socraticirony,dramaticirony,ironyoffateandverbalirony.[8]

Ingeneral,ironyinvolvesacontradictionbetweenappearanceandreality.Ironyresultswherethereisadifferenceinpointofviewbetweenacharacterandthenarratororreader.Traditionally,therearefourmajortypesofirony:verbal,dramatic,situationalandcomic.

Verbalirony

Verbalironyreferstospokenwordsonly.Verbalironyoccurswhenacharactersaysonething,butsuggestsorintendstheopposite.Thecontrastisbetweenwhatthespeakersaysandwhatheactuallymeans.Forexample,inJuliusCaesar,MarkAntonyrepeatsthewords“andBrutusisanhonorableman”inthefamous“Friends,Romans,Countrymen”speech.[9]MarkAntony’smeaning,however,isthatBrutusiscompletelydishonorablebecauseBrutus,Caesar’sbestfriend,joinedtheotherconspiratorsandplungedaknifeintoCaesar’schest.

Inthispaper,thediscussionislaiduponthistypeofirony,verbalirony.

irony

Dramaticironyinvolvesmorethanjustspokenwords.Dramaticironyoccurswhenthemeaningintendedbyacharacter’swordsoractionsisoppositeofthetruesituation.Thecontrastisbetweenwhatthecharactersays,thinks,ordoesandthetruesituation.Further,thecharactercannotseeorunderstandthecontrast,buttheaudienceorreadercan.Forexample,inOthello,dramaticironyoccurswhenOthelloreferstoIagoas“honestIago”.[10]UnknowntoOthello,IagoisavillainwhodeceiveshimintothinkingthatDesdemona(Othello’swife)hasbeenunfaithful.Forthis,Othellounjustlykillshiswife,believingthewholetimeinIago’shonesty.

Thedifferenceinexamplesforverbalanddramaticirony:AntonycallsBrutus“honorable”andknowsheisnothonorable,whileOthellocallsIago“honest”anddoesnotknowofIago’sdeceit.

irony

Situationalironydefieslogicalcause/effectrelationshipsandjustifiableexpectations.Forexample,ifagreedymillionaireweretobuyalotteryticketandwinadditionalmillions,theironywouldbesituationalbecausesuchacircumstancecannotbeexplainedlogically.Suchacircumstanceseems“unfair”.Thissenseofbeing“unfair”or“unfortunate”isatrademarkofsituationalirony.Becausepeoplecannotexplaintheunfairness,itcausesthemtoquestionwhetherornotthewordmakessense.

irony(orIronyoffate)

Someironygoesbeyondbeingunfairandismorallytragic.SuchironyisoftensoseverethatitcausespeopletoquestionGodandseetheuniverseashostile.Forexample,ifanhonest,hardworking,andgenerouspersonbuysalotteryticketandwinstenmilliondollars,onlytodieinanautocrashtwodayslater,theironywouldreachtragicproportions.Whensituationalironyreachesthisscale,itisoftencalledcomicironyorironyoffate.Suchironytypicallysuggeststhatpeoplearepawnstomaliciousforces.

3.IronyandtheCooperativePrinciple

TheCooperativePrinciple

“AmericanphilosopherGricemadeanattempttoexplainthecourseofnaturalconversation,inwhichimpliedmessagesarefrequentlyinvolved.Hisideaisthatinmakingconversation,theparticipantsmustfirstofallbewillingtocooperate;otherwise,itwouldnotbepossibleforthemtocarryonthetalk.ThisgeneralprincipleiscalledtheCooperativePrinciple,abbreviatedasCP.Itgoesasfollows:

Makeyourconversationalcontributionsuchasrequiredatthestageatwhichitoccursbytheacceptedpurposeordirectionofthetalkexchangeinwhichyouareengaged.

Theprinciplebreaksdownintoparticularmaximsthatsummarizeparticularassumptionsaboutconversation.DifferentpragamaticistsproposedifferentnumbersofthesemaximsbutasoriginallyproposedbyGrice,thePrinciplecontainedfoursetsofmaxims:

Themaximsofquantity

a).Makeyourcontributionasinformativeasisrequired(forthecurrentpurposesoftheexchange)

b).Donotmakeyourcontributionmoreinformativethanisrequired.

Themaximsofquality

Trytomakeyourcontributiononethatistrue:

a).Donotsaywhatyoubelievetobefalse.

b).Donotsaythatforwhichyoulackadequateevidence.

Themaximofrelation

Berelevant.

Themaximsofmanner

Beperspicuous:

a).Avoidobscurityofexpression.

b).Avoidambiguity.

c).Bebrief(avoidunnecessaryprolixity).

d).Beorderly.”[11]

asviolationofCP

GriceclassifiesironyasanexampleofimplicatureandshowshowonecanaccountforironyasacaseoffloutingtheCooperativePrinciplebyviolatingthemaximofquality.

Examples:

(1)Thisdiligentstudentseldomreadsmorethananhourpermonth.[12]

Theintendedmeaningofthespeakeristhisisalazystudent.However,heusesanoppositeof“lazy”—diligent.Diligentishereusedtoproducesarcasm.

(2)A:Sorry,Mary.Icannotgiveyoualiftafterwork.Ihavetomeetafriendattheairport.

B:Thankyouverymuch.It’sverykindofyou.[13]

Inthisconversation,BdoesnotreallypraiseA.Heuses“It’sverykindofyou.”toshowhisdissatisfactioninfact.

(3)A:Johnsayshetopsusallatfootball.

B:Ilikehischeek.[14]

WhenBsaid,“Ilikehischeek.”,heinfringedthequalitymaximtotellalie.ItiseasilyinferredfromthecontextthatBusestheoppositeword“like”tomeanhistrulydislike.

(4)RoseandDavidmetanelegantwomanonthestreet.Theyappreciatedherfineactionuntilshesuddenlyspittedphlegmtothefloor.Underthissituationcomesthediscourseasfollows:

Rose:Sheisreallylovely,isn’tshe?

David:Shesureis.[15]

Rosetendedtouse“lovely”tolaughattheelegantwoman’spooractionhere.

Theseinstancesareviolationsofthemaximoftruthbysayingsomethinghe/shedoesnotreallybelieve.Intheseironyacts,indirectnessseemslikeashieldwhichmasksagenuineintentconsideredriskybythespeakers.Theironicalutterancesnotonlyconveymessagesbutalsoconcealwhatthespeakersreallybearinmind.ThespeakersviolatetheCooperativePrincipleconsciouslytoexpresstheirrealmeaninginindirectway.Ironyhelpstomaketheutterancemuchmorehumor.

4.IronyandthePolitenessPrinciple

ThePolitenessPrinciple

LeechthinksthatGrice’sCooperativePrincipleinitselfcannotexplainwhypeopleemployindirectnesswhileconveyingwhattheymean.Inaddition,differentsocietiesmayoperatemaximsindifferentways.TheremustbesomeapparentexceptionsinactualcommunicationthatCooperativePrinciplecannotexplain.ThereforeLeechproposestosupplementGrice’sCooperativePrinciplewiththePolitenessPrinciple(PPforshort).Thestrategiesaresummarizedbelow:

Tact:

a).Minimizecosttoother.

b).Maximizebenefittoother.

Generosity:

a).Minimizebenefittoself.

b).Maximizecosttoself.

Approbation:

a).Minimizedispraiseofother.

b).Maximizepraiseofother.

Modesty:

a).Minimizepraiseofself.

b).Maximizedispraiseofself.

Agreement:

a).Minimizedisagreementbetweenselfandother.

b).Maximizeagreementbetweenselfandother.

Sympathy:

a).Minimizeantipathybetweenselfandother.

b).Maximizesympathybetweenselfandother.[16]

Altogether,themaximsaresaidto“save”theCooperativePrinciple,theyexplainwhathappensinthecasewhenitisbreached.

Example:

Forrest:Ionlycaughtfive.

BoatSalesman:Acouplemoreandyoucanhaveyourselfacocktail.

…[17]

ThisisadialogueinthemovieForrestGump.AlthoughBubbatellsForresteverythingaboutshrimping,butForreststillfindsthatshrimpingistough.Oneday,heonlycatchesfiveaftera-whole-dayhardworking.TheboatsalesmanjustmakesajoketoForrestinordertocheerhimup.Meanwhile,healsotellsForrestafactthatForrestcatchestoolittle.ItisaninstanceofpolitenessaccordingtothePolitenessPrinciple.

IronyPrinciple

AccordingtoLeech,ironyisasecond-orderprinciplethatbuildsonorexploitsthePolitenessPrinciple.TheIronyPrinciple(IPforshort)maybestatedinageneralformasfollows:

“Ifyoumustcauseoffence,atleastdosoinawaywhichdoesn’tovertlyconflictwiththePolitenessPrinciple,butallowsthehearertoarriveattheoffensivepointofyourremarkindirectly,bywayofimplicature.”[18]

IronycanhappenifthespeakerovervaluesthePolitenessPrinciplebyblatantlybreakingamaximoftheCooperativePrincipleinordertoupholdthePolitenessPrinciple.Forexample:

A:Geoffhasjustborrowedyourcar.

B:Well,IlikeTHAT![19]

AccordingtotheIronyPrinciple,wecaninterpretthisironicalutterancethisway:whatBsaysispolitetoGeoffandisclearlynottrue.ThereforewhatBreallymeansisimpolitetoGeoffandtrue.LeechbelievesthattheIPcanmakeaspeakerimpolitewhileseemingtobepolite.Inbeingpolite,aspeakerisoftenfacedwithaclashbetweentheCPandthePP.Thespeakerhastochoosehowfarto“trade-off”theCPagainstthePP.Inbeingironic,aspeakerexploitsthePPinordertouphold,ataremotelevel,theCP.

TheIronyPrincipleservesthepurposeofavoidingdirectcriticismthrough‘beingantisocial’,beinginsincerelypolite.ThisprincipleexplainswhysomeoftheGriceanmaximsarebreached.[20]

5.Ironyandverbalhumor

VerbalHumor

Fromthesurfacemeaningofthephrase“verbalhumor”,wecaneasilygetitsmeaning:verbalhumoristhehumorthatisorganizedthroughverbalform.Verbalhumoristhehumorthatiscreatedorexpressedthroughlanguagewiththeassistanceofsituationalcontextoccasionally.

Verbalhumorcanbeproducedbykindsoffigureofspeech,say,personification,exaggeration,ironyandsoon.

ironyasanapproachtoverbalhumor

Verbalironyreferstospokenwordsonly.Itoccurswhenacharactersaysonething,butsuggestsorintendstheopposite.Itisanapproachtohumor.Asanexpressionofwisdom,ironyisfrequentlyusedbythegreatminds,say,writersorphilosophers.

Example:BernardShaw’sAnxiety

TheexceedinglyfascinatingandcharmingAmericanwomandancerDuncanoncegotoffacracktoBernardShaw:“Sir,givenIamincombinationwithyou,andthatwehaveachildwhohasbothmylooksandyourwisdomandability.Itshouldbecrackerjack.”Thecommonplace-looking,IrishwriterBernardShawcrackedback:“Incasethechildonlyhasmylooksbutyourwisdomandability,thatwouldbecrack-brained.”[21]

Inthisstory,BernardShaw’sAnxiety,whatBernardShawsaidisaccordingtothesentenceofthewomandancerDuncan.Sotheysharedtheunderstandingincommonandthehumorwasineffect.

Example:HatandHead

HansChristianAndersen,aDanishnurserytalewriter,wasborninahumblefamily.Heoftenworeatornhateveninthewinter.Aplayboylookeddownuponhimandsaidunconscionably:“Whattheshabbythingonyourhead?Isthatstilledcalledahat?”Nottobeoutdone,Andersencounteredthatchapinreply:“Whattheshabbythingbeneathyourhat?Isthatstillcalledahead?”[22]

HereAndersenchangedtheorderofthetwowords,“hat”and“head”,whichhelpedhimtocrackback.Humorresulted.

转贴于论文联盟Example:AGreatMan

EinstEInoncewrotealettertoCharlieChaplin.Hesaid:“Yourfilm‘TheModernTime’,everybodyintheworldcanunderstand.Youwillcertainlybecomeagreatman.Einstein.”

InhisanswertotheletterCharlieChaplinwrote:“Iadmireyouevenmore.YourTheoryofRelativitynobodyintheworldunderstands,butyouhavealreadybecomeagreatman.Chaplin.”[23]

Inthisstory,CharlieChaplinwasclevertolendironytoamuseandescapefrombeingoutdone.

Fromtheaboveexamples,theconclusioncanbeeasilyreachedasironyisfrequentlyusedtoproducehumor.Inotherwords,thehumorfeatureofironycouldbeeasilyfoundinhumorstories.6.Pragmaticfunctionsofirony

Intheformerpartsofthispaper,wehavealreadydiscussedabouttherelationbetweenironyandCP,theassociationbetweenironyandIP,andtheconnectionbetweenironyandverbalhumor.ThoughironyseemstotakefloutingCPasitsownduty,itactsasanassistantofIPactively.Asatypeofverbalhumor,ironydevotesitselftoproducehumorinpeople’scommunications.However,whatarethepragmaticfunctionsofirony?Inthissection,thekeytothisquestionwillbepresentedmainlyfromtwomajoraspects:pragmaticfunctionsofEnglishironyandpragmaticfunctionsofChineseirony.

PragmaticfunctionsofEnglishirony

PragmaticfunctionsofEnglishironycanbestatedinvariousways,similartotheclassificationofit.Inthefollowingpassage,theeffortwillbeconcentratedonthemajorfunctionsofirony.Firstly,whileusingironypeopletendtouseaffirmativetoexpresscritiqueordiscontent.Secondly,ironyisalwaysusedasameanstosatirize.Thirdly,ironyisusedasanapproachtobepolite.Lastbutnottheleast,ironyisusedasanapproachtobehumorous.

Usedasanaffirmativetoexpresscritiqueordiscontent

InEnglish,ironyisoftenusedtostateone’snegativeattitudetosomething.Forexample:

(1)Ijustadoremosquitoes.[24]

(2)Youareabighelp![25]

(3)Youaretellingstories![26]

Inexample(1),“adore”actuallytellsusthedispleasureofthespeaker.Itcanbelearnedfromthemeaningbetweenthelinesthatthespeakerhatesmosquitoesinfact.Thesentenceofexample(2)isnotreallyusedtopraisethe“help”buttoindicate,“Youonlydonothingtohelp.”Thespeakerofexample(3)appliesironytomakeamockery.

Ineverydaylife,peopletendtouseironyintheirspeechthoughsometimestheymaynotbeconsciousofit.Thefollowingisanotherinstance:

(4)Thismorning,Iwaslateforwork;atnoon,Ihadmybikestolen;onthewayhomethisafternoon,Islippeddowninthestreet.Sotoday,Iamcertainlyenjoyingmyself.[27]

Obviously,thenarratordidnotenjoyhimselfindeedthisday.Withthestrongdiscontentoftheterribleexperience,heexpressedhisdispleasurebyusingtheoppositeword“enjoy”.

asameanstosatirize

Ironyisusedtoveilfeelingsinasubtleway.Wordsofpraiseareoftenfoundwherecondemnationismeant.Belowaresomeexamples:

(1)LikealltheotherofficersatGroupHeadquartersexceptMajorDanby,ColonelCathcartwasinfusedwiththedemocraticspirit:hebelievedthatallmenoutsideGroupequal,andhethereforespurnedallmenoutsideGroupHeadquarterswithequalfervour.(JosephHeller:Catch2)[28]

(ThispassageimpliesthatColonelCathcartwasnotdemocraticatall:hisdemocraticspiritextendedonlytohisowngroup;allothershetreatedwithscornandhighhandedness.)

(2)…ayounghealthychildwellnursedisatayearoldamostdelicious,nourishing,andwholesomefood,whetherstewed,roasted,bakedorboiled;andImakenodoubtthatitwillequallyserveinafricasseeoraragout.[29]

Theauthorhereproposedthemeasuretosolvetheproblemofstarvationandoverpopulationbyeatingorsellingchildrenfrompoorfamilies.However,hisrealpurposewastoripoffthehypocriticalmaskofhypocrites.Usedasameanstosatirize,ironyhelpedtodisclosetheseriousproblemofthesocietyinaboveexample.

asanapproachtobepolite

Indailyconversation,peopleareapttobepolite.Asanindirectexpression,ironyiswidelyapplied.Forexample:

(1)“Haveadrink?”

“Allright,butnotupatthebar.Wewilltakeatable.”

“Theperfectfather.”

(FitzgeraldBabylonRevisited)[30]

(2)“Theboyhasbrokenanotherglass,”saidthemother.

“Afinething!”thefatherreplied.[31]

Inexample(1),thesonchosethepolitewayofusing“theperfectfather”whichactuallyreferredtoonewhowasstingyaboutmoneymatter.Ifhecomplaineddirectlytohisfatherthat“Astingyfather”,theimpolitenesswouldbreaktherelationshipbetweenthefatherandsonmoreorless.Conversely,thefatherinexample(2)criticizedthefaultofhissoninanindirectway.“Afinething!”couldbetreatedasacriticismoutofgoodwill.

asanapproachtobehumorous

Inthispaper,wehavelearnedthatverbalironyservesasanapproachofverbalhumor.Therefore,thehumorousfunctionofironycanbeeasilyrevealed.Belowaresomemoreexamplesforfurtheracknowledging.

(1)Politehorse

TheBachseesBallwalkinglamely,askshim:“What’shappened?”Ballsays:“IwenttotheforestparktoridethehorseonSunday.”“I’msurethatitwasanunruly，orthehorsedidnotallowtoride?”“Botharenot.Justthehorsewasverypolite---whenitrantoastockadeatafullgallop,itstoppedallofasuddenandmademeleapoverfirst.”SaysBall.[32]

(2)TakeninTwice

“What’sthematterwithyourhands?”

“Theywerebittenbytheserpent.”

“Howcanithappen?”

“Iwenttotheforestthedaybeforeyesterday.Seeingthereisasnakearoundthetree,Ipickedupasticktobeat.”

“Missedthetarget.”

“No,whatistwistedaroundthetreewasarope,whilewhatIpickedupwasjustasnake.”[33]

Anewconceptionofwhatapolitehorseisshowsforthinexample(1).HumoroccurredwhenBallunderstatedhisdispleasingexperiencebyusingirony.Similarly,theembarrassmentofthenarratorinexample(2)iswellveiledintheironicstatement,whichbringshumortogoodeffect.

functionsofChineseirony

Chineseirony

Chineseirony,tosomeextent,isequaltothetypeofEnglishirony,namelyverbalirony.Generallyspeaking,itcanbeclassifiedasfivetypes:ironyforcommendationandderogation，ironyforsatire(讽刺反语)，ironyforfun,ironyforaffectionandironyforemphasis.[34]Theclassificationisbasicallyinthelightofthepragmaticfunctionsofirony.Thedetaileddemonstrationofthemwillbecontinuedinthefollowingparts.

functionsofChineseirony

(i)Ironyforpraiseanddenigration

Ironyforpraiseanddenigrationistousepraiseinsteadofderogatoryterm,orviceversa.Itisanindirectutterancethatcanavoidmakingcommentsindirectway.Ithasnothingtodowithsarcasm.Forinstance:

凤姐道：“我那里管得这些事来？见识又浅，口角又笨，心肠又直率，人家给个棒槌我就认作针，脸皮又软，搁不住人家两句好话，心里就慈悲了。……”

(“I’mincapabableofrunningthings,”shesigned.“I’mtooignorant,bluntandtactless,alwaysgettingholdofthewrongendofthestick.AndI’msosoft-hearted,anyonecangetroundme….”)[35]

Apparently,WangXi-fengdowngradedherselfas“ignorant,bluntandtactless”.However,herpersonalityiswellknownastalent,quick-tonguedandwise.Itcanbeconsideredthatironyisusedtobemodestinthissituation.

(ii)Ironyforsatire

Satireplaysaroleoffrequentfeatureofirony.Itseemslikeaspoiledchildtosomeliteraturewriters.Forexample:

(1)几个“慈祥”的老板到菜场去收集一些菜叶，用盐一浸，这就是他们难得的佳肴。

(Somekind-heartedbossesgotothemarketandpickupsomevegetableleaves,comingbackanddippingthemintosaltwater,thenagod-givencateisreadyforthem(thewomenworkers))[36]

(2)湘云笑道：“‘主雅客来勤’，自然你有些警动他的好处，他才要会你。”宝玉道：“罢，罢！我也不称雅，我乃俗中又俗的一个俗人，并不愿同这些人来往。”

(“‘Whenthehostiscultured,guestsfrequenthishouse’,”quotedHsiang-yun.“Helikesseeingyou,surely,becausehecanlearnsomethingfromyou.”

“Don’tcallmecultured,”beggedPao-yu.“I’mthemostvulgarofthevulgarherd,andI’venodesireatalltomixwithsuchpeople.”)[37]

Inexample(1),theauthorlent“kind-hearted”toridiculethebosseswhotreatedthewomenworkersniggardly.Inexample(2),Pao-yulaughedathimselfas“themostvulgarofthevulgarherd”,ironically.

(iii)Ironyforfun

Ironyforfunreferstotheonethatmaycreatearelaxedatmosphere.Forexample:

这个“四十条”去年以来不吃香了，现在又“复辟”了。

(Thesefortyarticleswentoutofvoguelastyearbutarenowstaginga“comeback”.)[38]

Literally,“comeback”isanexpressionofcensure.Buthereitstandsforanewstartingofthefortyarticles.Byusingthisword,thespeechrunsmoothlyunderthelightair.

(iv)Ironyforaffection

Ironyissometimesusedtoexpressstrongaffection.Tomakeadvancestoothers,peoplecanuseironyasasupport.Forexample:

几个女人有点失望，也有些伤心，各人在心里骂着自己的狠心贼。

(Disappointedandratherupset,eachwomanwassecretlylayingtheblameonherheartlessbruteofahusband.)[39]

Seemingly,thesewomenwereblamingtheirhusbands.Actually,thatisnotthecase.Theylovedtheirhusbandssomuchthatironywasusedtomanifesttheirrealaffectionindirectlybytheauthor.

(v)Ironyforemphasis

Ironycanbeapprovedinthefollowingexamplethatitcanemphasizetheoppositemeaning.

Example:

我于是日日盼望新年，新年到，闰土也就到了。好容易到了年末