• ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.caOP
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    11 days ago

    I just did a quick research on tonal languages, it’s quite tricky for a beginner to grasp these subtle expressions. Imagine a life without sarcasm. Brutal. I wonder if they have their own way of conveying it.

    • Bilb!@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      edit-2
      10 days ago

      Even in English, sarcasm can be delivered very dryly in a way that would be undetectable without knowing context. It doesn’t need to be spoken with exaggerated tones. I do it too much.

      • ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.caOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        10 days ago

        Someone commented that his sarcasm was lost with, mostly, religious folks in Oklahoma, and I realized that yes it happened to me too plenty of times (but not in Oklahoma). So yeah, even in English it can be elusive to some people.

    • GreenBeard@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      10 days ago

      Oh, they do. Depending on the context, there’s a whole host of ways to imply sarcasm without depending on intonation. Body language, context, double entendre, formality shifts, etc.