Sarcasm plays an important role in social interactions and everyday conversations. We use it when we say something contrary to what we believe or feel to arouse hilarity. However, it's not always easy to tell when someone is being sarcastic. Below you will find some useful tips that can help you figure it out.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Using Verbal Indicators
Step 1. Beware of too much positive or negative language
Many sarcastic comments are utterly exaggerated hyperbole, and are easy to identify. Typically a positive statement will be used when a negative answer is expected, and vice versa.
- An example of overly positive language would be: "That's the coolest hat I've ever seen!" when the speaker actually thinks, "No, I don't like that hat."
- An example of overly negative language might be: "Well, so you really hurt the exam!" instead of, "Congratulations on your beautiful grade."
Step 2. Look for intense verbs, adjectives and adverbs
You can expect a sarcastic comment to contain words like "I love", "amazing", "outstanding", "best", "great" or "best". Also look for adjectives attributed to unusual nouns, such as "soft as a stone" or "sharp as a spoon".
- For example: "I can't help but love the sweater my grandmother embroidered for me."
- Translation: "I don't like the sweater my grandmother made me at all."
Method 2 of 4: Using Non-Verbal Indicators
Step 1. Pay attention to facial expressions
Looking at other people's faces when they speak is a great way to catch sarcasm. Often a phrase that may sound completely sincere can be taken in a sarcastic sense when accompanied by a specific facial expression.
- Raised eyebrows, rolled-back eyes, and grinning mouths are common indicators of sarcasm.
- Also look for facial expressions that indicate disgust, irritation, or apathy.
Step 2. Watch out for sarcastic gestures
Although gestures such as nodding, moving the body, and thumbs up may not be sarcastic per se, when combined with other verbal and non-verbal indicators, they are highly likely to indicate sarcasm.
Method 3 of 4: Use Context
Step 1. Beware of misplaced comments
If you hear something that seems completely contrary to the context of the conversation, it could be sarcasm.
- Example: If you spend most of a conversation talking about how awful your wife's cooking is, and you end up with "Yesterday she made me a roast chicken so good that I couldn't help but take some to work.", whoever listens to you will know that you are sarcastic.
- Example: If you hear someone say "I'm so glad I remembered the sunscreen" on a rainy day, it's almost certainly sarcastic.
Step 2. Pay attention to personal or subjective arguments
Most sarcastic comments are about the speaker's emotions, offering judgment, or criticizing something.
For example, if the speaker explains how to get to the airport, they will hardly use sarcasm, but they will be much more likely to do so if they talk about how much they hate flying
Step 3. Sarcasm is often used to answer a question with an obvious answer to at least one of the participants in the conversation
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Question: What would you like me to do now?
Answer: Put your feet on the coffee table and rest while we all take care of the work ahead.
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Question: Are we there yet?
Answer: Yes, it is just around the corner after 500 kilometers.
Method 4 of 4: Using Intonation and Accents
Step 1. Look for a nasal tone
Using a nasal tone can indicate sarcasm.
- When the word "Thank you!" in a sarcastic way, a nasal tone is often used.
- Some researchers argue that this nasal tone shows a link between sarcasm and extreme disgust.
Step 2. Look for elongated words
In some cases the words are dragged to emphasize them when the speaker wants to express sarcasm.
- Example: "Scuuuuusa!"
- Example: "But pregooooo."
Step 3. Pay attention to emphasized adjectives
Speakers will often emphasize some adjectives to express sarcasm.
- For example, if you hear someone say "My aunt Carla sent me this wonderful pink and green tie.”The emphasis on the word wonderful usually indicates sarcasm.
- The emphasized word could be communicated in a lower tone than the others in the sentence, to highlight it even more.
Step 4. Try to notice a "flattening of the voice"
In some cases the speaker creates a unique sarcastic effect by eliminating vocal expressions altogether.
- This flattening is usually accompanied by a uniform tone and neutral exposure.
- This method is particularly effective with words that normally express excitement, such as "Hurray" or "Wow".
Advice
- If you're not sure you understand, ask if the other person is joking.
- Also try asking the sarcastic person to give you a signal when they use sarcasm. For example, he might wink at you.
