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Intonation influences how children and adults interpret sarcasm*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2013

MELANIE GLENWRIGHT ,
JAYANTHI M. PARACKEL ,
KRISTENE R. J. CHEUNG  and
ELIZABETH S. NILSEN
MELANIE GLENWRIGHT*
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba, Canada
JAYANTHI M. PARACKEL
Affiliation:
University of Calgary, Canada
KRISTENE R. J. CHEUNG
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba, Canada
ELIZABETH S. NILSEN
Affiliation:
University of Waterloo, Canada
*
Address for correspondence: Melanie Glenwright, Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada. e-mail: Melanie.Glenwright@ad.umanitoba.ca
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Abstract

Adults distinguish sarcasm from literal language according to intonation involving a reduction in fundamental frequency (F0). We examined whether children's and adults' interpretation of a sarcastic speaker's belief, attitude, and humor was affected by degree of F0 reduction by presenting five- to six-year-olds and adults with sarcastic and literal criticisms with a small, medium, or large mean F0 reduction. Children and adults were more accurate in attributing the speaker's belief and intent for sarcastic criticisms for large F0 reductions compared to small reductions. These results show that F0 reduction is a helpful cue to sarcasm interpretation for both children and adults.

Type
Brief Research Reports
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , March 2014 , pp. 472 - 484
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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Footnotes

[*]

This research was supported by a University of Manitoba Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Research grant awarded to the first author. The authors thank the staff, parents, and children at the following schools from the Pembina Trails School Division: Bonnycastle, Chancellor, Dalhousie and Van Walleghem.

References

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