Delivering sarcasmHow can I stop overusing “I” in my writing?

Multi tool use
Multi tool use

What should you do if you miss a job interview (deliberately)?

Why can Carol Danvers change her suit colours in the first place?

If a character has darkvision, can they see through an area of nonmagical darkness filled with lightly obscuring gas?

Terse Method to Swap Lowest for Highest?

Delivering sarcasm

What are the purposes of autoencoders?

Where did Edmond Malone place the Tempest in the chronology of Shakespeare's plays?

Travelling outside the UK without a passport

Melting point of aspirin, contradicting sources

Start making guitar arrangements

Symbol used to indicate indivisibility

How should I respond when I lied about my education and the company finds out through background check?

It grows, but water kills it

Strong empirical falsification of quantum mechanics based on vacuum energy density

What if a revenant (monster) gains fire resistance?

If infinitesimal transformations commute why dont the generators of the Lorentz group commute?

Can I sign legal documents with a smiley face?

How did Rebekah know that Esau was planning to kill his brother in Genesis 27:42?

Creepy dinosaur pc game identification

Is it possible to have a strip of cold climate in the middle of a planet?

Lowest total scrabble score

When were female captains banned from Starfleet?

Open a doc from terminal, but not by its name

Reverse int within the 32-bit signed integer range: [−2^31, 2^31 − 1]



Delivering sarcasm


How can I stop overusing “I” in my writing?













4















Most of us who have spent more than a few days reading things and interacting with people on the internet know how difficult it is to convey sarcasm. There is no tone there is only the words on our screens. Surely there is a way to express oneself in text in such a way that sarcasm is understood.



Here on Stack Exchange we have the use of markdown. We could put chunks of text in italics to distinguish it, but that seems less than ideal and markdown isn't available everywhere.



I've also used the <sarcasm></sarcasm> codeblock reference. But that is clunky and explicit. If you are going to be that up front you can also just say "This is sarcasm."



Then there is the simple fact that I have read plenty of sarcasm. Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams works are dripping with it. But I've never really determined why when they do it it is clear, but most others, myself included, seem to struggle with it. Is there a difference between sarcastic literature and people communicating on the internet?



What I am looking for are specific techniques for delivering sarcasm, in print, that are reasonably detectable by the average reader, as such.










share|improve this question



















  • 1





    +1, but I wonder if the question might not be too broad - if there's a significant difference between delivering sarcasm in literature, and delivering sarcasm in a short internet comment. Let's see, maybe that's something answers will address. (Worst case scenario - you might have to split this into two good questions.)

    – Galastel
    1 hour ago
















4















Most of us who have spent more than a few days reading things and interacting with people on the internet know how difficult it is to convey sarcasm. There is no tone there is only the words on our screens. Surely there is a way to express oneself in text in such a way that sarcasm is understood.



Here on Stack Exchange we have the use of markdown. We could put chunks of text in italics to distinguish it, but that seems less than ideal and markdown isn't available everywhere.



I've also used the <sarcasm></sarcasm> codeblock reference. But that is clunky and explicit. If you are going to be that up front you can also just say "This is sarcasm."



Then there is the simple fact that I have read plenty of sarcasm. Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams works are dripping with it. But I've never really determined why when they do it it is clear, but most others, myself included, seem to struggle with it. Is there a difference between sarcastic literature and people communicating on the internet?



What I am looking for are specific techniques for delivering sarcasm, in print, that are reasonably detectable by the average reader, as such.










share|improve this question



















  • 1





    +1, but I wonder if the question might not be too broad - if there's a significant difference between delivering sarcasm in literature, and delivering sarcasm in a short internet comment. Let's see, maybe that's something answers will address. (Worst case scenario - you might have to split this into two good questions.)

    – Galastel
    1 hour ago














4












4








4








Most of us who have spent more than a few days reading things and interacting with people on the internet know how difficult it is to convey sarcasm. There is no tone there is only the words on our screens. Surely there is a way to express oneself in text in such a way that sarcasm is understood.



Here on Stack Exchange we have the use of markdown. We could put chunks of text in italics to distinguish it, but that seems less than ideal and markdown isn't available everywhere.



I've also used the <sarcasm></sarcasm> codeblock reference. But that is clunky and explicit. If you are going to be that up front you can also just say "This is sarcasm."



Then there is the simple fact that I have read plenty of sarcasm. Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams works are dripping with it. But I've never really determined why when they do it it is clear, but most others, myself included, seem to struggle with it. Is there a difference between sarcastic literature and people communicating on the internet?



What I am looking for are specific techniques for delivering sarcasm, in print, that are reasonably detectable by the average reader, as such.










share|improve this question
















Most of us who have spent more than a few days reading things and interacting with people on the internet know how difficult it is to convey sarcasm. There is no tone there is only the words on our screens. Surely there is a way to express oneself in text in such a way that sarcasm is understood.



Here on Stack Exchange we have the use of markdown. We could put chunks of text in italics to distinguish it, but that seems less than ideal and markdown isn't available everywhere.



I've also used the <sarcasm></sarcasm> codeblock reference. But that is clunky and explicit. If you are going to be that up front you can also just say "This is sarcasm."



Then there is the simple fact that I have read plenty of sarcasm. Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams works are dripping with it. But I've never really determined why when they do it it is clear, but most others, myself included, seem to struggle with it. Is there a difference between sarcastic literature and people communicating on the internet?



What I am looking for are specific techniques for delivering sarcasm, in print, that are reasonably detectable by the average reader, as such.







style technique process showing-telling






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 1 hour ago







bruglesco

















asked 1 hour ago









bruglescobruglesco

2,115639




2,115639







  • 1





    +1, but I wonder if the question might not be too broad - if there's a significant difference between delivering sarcasm in literature, and delivering sarcasm in a short internet comment. Let's see, maybe that's something answers will address. (Worst case scenario - you might have to split this into two good questions.)

    – Galastel
    1 hour ago













  • 1





    +1, but I wonder if the question might not be too broad - if there's a significant difference between delivering sarcasm in literature, and delivering sarcasm in a short internet comment. Let's see, maybe that's something answers will address. (Worst case scenario - you might have to split this into two good questions.)

    – Galastel
    1 hour ago








1




1





+1, but I wonder if the question might not be too broad - if there's a significant difference between delivering sarcasm in literature, and delivering sarcasm in a short internet comment. Let's see, maybe that's something answers will address. (Worst case scenario - you might have to split this into two good questions.)

– Galastel
1 hour ago






+1, but I wonder if the question might not be too broad - if there's a significant difference between delivering sarcasm in literature, and delivering sarcasm in a short internet comment. Let's see, maybe that's something answers will address. (Worst case scenario - you might have to split this into two good questions.)

– Galastel
1 hour ago











1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















2














In novels you can parse sarcasm because you know the characters, specifically you know what they know and how they think, so you know the difference between a serious suggestion and a flip suggestion.



I've written a sarcastic retort by a character in one of my stories, and my first reader got it immediately; because the character was making a suggestion completely out of her personality. So it had to be sarcasm, and that's how it was read and it was found funny to get a laugh (even though the character was frustrated with the stubbornness of another character).



You cannot duplicate that in an internet post except with friends that get your personality. Absent that relationship, then in that venue, you need to make your sarcastic responses a bit over the top, so they seem outlandish enough to make the reader think twice about how serious you are being.



Either that, or include a rolling-eyes emoji, if possible.






share|improve this answer






















    Your Answer








    StackExchange.ready(function()
    var channelOptions =
    tags: "".split(" "),
    id: "166"
    ;
    initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

    StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
    // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
    if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
    StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
    createEditor();
    );

    else
    createEditor();

    );

    function createEditor()
    StackExchange.prepareEditor(
    heartbeatType: 'answer',
    autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
    convertImagesToLinks: false,
    noModals: true,
    showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
    reputationToPostImages: null,
    bindNavPrevention: true,
    postfix: "",
    imageUploader:
    brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
    contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
    allowUrls: true
    ,
    noCode: true, onDemand: true,
    discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
    ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
    );



    );













    draft saved

    draft discarded


















    StackExchange.ready(
    function ()
    StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fwriting.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f43972%2fdelivering-sarcasm%23new-answer', 'question_page');

    );

    Post as a guest















    Required, but never shown

























    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes








    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    2














    In novels you can parse sarcasm because you know the characters, specifically you know what they know and how they think, so you know the difference between a serious suggestion and a flip suggestion.



    I've written a sarcastic retort by a character in one of my stories, and my first reader got it immediately; because the character was making a suggestion completely out of her personality. So it had to be sarcasm, and that's how it was read and it was found funny to get a laugh (even though the character was frustrated with the stubbornness of another character).



    You cannot duplicate that in an internet post except with friends that get your personality. Absent that relationship, then in that venue, you need to make your sarcastic responses a bit over the top, so they seem outlandish enough to make the reader think twice about how serious you are being.



    Either that, or include a rolling-eyes emoji, if possible.






    share|improve this answer



























      2














      In novels you can parse sarcasm because you know the characters, specifically you know what they know and how they think, so you know the difference between a serious suggestion and a flip suggestion.



      I've written a sarcastic retort by a character in one of my stories, and my first reader got it immediately; because the character was making a suggestion completely out of her personality. So it had to be sarcasm, and that's how it was read and it was found funny to get a laugh (even though the character was frustrated with the stubbornness of another character).



      You cannot duplicate that in an internet post except with friends that get your personality. Absent that relationship, then in that venue, you need to make your sarcastic responses a bit over the top, so they seem outlandish enough to make the reader think twice about how serious you are being.



      Either that, or include a rolling-eyes emoji, if possible.






      share|improve this answer

























        2












        2








        2







        In novels you can parse sarcasm because you know the characters, specifically you know what they know and how they think, so you know the difference between a serious suggestion and a flip suggestion.



        I've written a sarcastic retort by a character in one of my stories, and my first reader got it immediately; because the character was making a suggestion completely out of her personality. So it had to be sarcasm, and that's how it was read and it was found funny to get a laugh (even though the character was frustrated with the stubbornness of another character).



        You cannot duplicate that in an internet post except with friends that get your personality. Absent that relationship, then in that venue, you need to make your sarcastic responses a bit over the top, so they seem outlandish enough to make the reader think twice about how serious you are being.



        Either that, or include a rolling-eyes emoji, if possible.






        share|improve this answer













        In novels you can parse sarcasm because you know the characters, specifically you know what they know and how they think, so you know the difference between a serious suggestion and a flip suggestion.



        I've written a sarcastic retort by a character in one of my stories, and my first reader got it immediately; because the character was making a suggestion completely out of her personality. So it had to be sarcasm, and that's how it was read and it was found funny to get a laugh (even though the character was frustrated with the stubbornness of another character).



        You cannot duplicate that in an internet post except with friends that get your personality. Absent that relationship, then in that venue, you need to make your sarcastic responses a bit over the top, so they seem outlandish enough to make the reader think twice about how serious you are being.



        Either that, or include a rolling-eyes emoji, if possible.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 46 mins ago









        AmadeusAmadeus

        56k471183




        56k471183



























            draft saved

            draft discarded
















































            Thanks for contributing an answer to Writing Stack Exchange!


            • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

            But avoid


            • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

            • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.

            To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




            draft saved


            draft discarded














            StackExchange.ready(
            function ()
            StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fwriting.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f43972%2fdelivering-sarcasm%23new-answer', 'question_page');

            );

            Post as a guest















            Required, but never shown





















































            Required, but never shown














            Required, but never shown












            Required, but never shown







            Required, but never shown

































            Required, but never shown














            Required, but never shown












            Required, but never shown







            Required, but never shown







            JOtUzZstF2cXrLmli2njx,reoz8s MY wTlqTW CyNlAHPgHjvd vdDmiio2LH xVJQiXZdjtXUPX l6,V KwZTzARCQeRq5MP,O
            zfOWCGCYSu0uqSeu4Pj,EV

            Popular posts from this blog

            Nissan Patrol Зміст Перше покоління — 4W60 (1951-1960) | Друге покоління — 60 series (1960-1980) | Третє покоління (1980–2002) | Четверте покоління — Y60 (1987–1998) | П'яте покоління — Y61 (1997–2013) | Шосте покоління — Y62 (2010- ) | Посилання | Зноски | Навігаційне менюОфіційний український сайтТест-драйв Nissan Patrol 2010 7-го поколінняNissan PatrolКак мы тестировали Nissan Patrol 2016рвиправивши або дописавши її

            Best approach to update all entries in a list that is paginated?Best way to add items to a paginated listChoose Your Country: Best Usability approachUpdate list when a user is viewing the list without annoying themWhen would the best day to update your webpage be?What should happen when I add a Row to a paginated, sorted listShould I adopt infinite scrolling or classical pagination?How to show user that page objects automatically updateWhat is the best location to locate the comments section in a list pageBest way to combine filtering and selecting items in a listWhen one of two inputs must be updated to satisfy a consistency criteria, which should you update (if at all)?

            Буцька Катерина Петрівна Зміст Біографія | Фільмографія | Дублювання та озвучення українською | Дублювання та озвучення російською | Озвучення реклами | Навігаційне менюперевірена109 змінвиправивши або дописавши її