Interpreting Figurative Statements: Speaker Occupation Can Change Metaphor to Irony

Abstract

Quintilian (35-100 AD; trans. 1959) pointed out that we use knowledge of the speaker in attributing ironic intent. We examine this possibility by studying the interpretation given to statements of the form "Children are precious gems," in which the speaker could intend to make either a metaphor or a sarcastic-ironic comment on the metaphor. In two studies, we show that the speaker's occupation can influence our interpretation of a figurative statement. Some statements that in a neutral context are taken to be affirming a metaphor are taken to be irony when spoken by members of some occupations (such as comedian or cab driver) that are thought to involve considerable use of irony. This switch in interpretation is especially evident when the statement is a familiar one and when the occupation is made salient. These data indicate that the recognition of ironic (sarcastic) intent is sensitive to information about a sociocultural factor (speaker occupation) and that this information interacts with knowledge about the pragmatic uses of a statement.