Humor and Irony Terms Flashcards
A figure of speect in which a writer deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it is
Undestatement
a particular form of understatement, is generated by denying the opposite or contrary of the word which otherwise would be used.
Litotes
The use of a word in a sense to opposite its proper meaning
Antiphrasis
harsh or bitter derision usually intended to wound as well as amuse
Sarcasm
A literary work in with human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit
Satire
A text that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule
Parody
A comedy which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations
Farce
Irony that is inherent in drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play
Dramatic Irony
the idea that fate, destiny, or a god controls and toys with human hopes and expectations
Cosmic Irony
Iron that typically takes a form of discrepancy between appearance and reality
Structural Irony
a brief statement of a principle
Aphorism
a humourous use of a word or phrase in such a way as to suggest different meanings
Pun
An act of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of similar sounding words
Malapropism
