How to Detect Sarcasm in Writing

Watching for Cues in the Writing

See if the writer adds letters to common words. Sarcasm in writing can be difficult to detect in text due to the absence of verbal tone, which is often used to convey sarcasm when speaking. If someone is being sarcastic in writing, he or she may add multiple letters to common words to indicate a sarcastic tone. A writer may use multiple letters to indicate an elongated syllable. In real life, if someone makes a statement you do not believe, you may respond by saying, "Right," but stretching out the word sarcastically. Therefore, a sarcastic use of the word "right" in text may be written as, "Riiiiight." There are other examples of words being stretched out misspelled to indicate sarcasm. Someone may sarcastically type, "Excuse me" in apology as, "Excuuuse meee." A person may also give a sarcastic, "Okay, then," as "Oooookaaay, then!"

Watch for hyperbole. Hyperbolic language, usually marked by the use of intense adjectives, may be used to indicate sarcasm in writing. If someone's enthusiasm for a given subject seems unusually intense, that person may be being hyperbolic. This is often an indicator of sarcasm in text. Usually, in sarcastic writing, a writer will choose a more intense version of a common word to indicate hyperbole. This can point to sarcasm. For example, instead of saying, "The weather's been nice today," a sarcastic writer may write, "The weather's been fantastic today." As "fantastic" is a more intense adjective, its use may indicate sarcasm. Hyperbolic language is likely to indicate sarcasm if the adjective used seems to conflict with the situation. For example, say someone posts a Facebook status saying something like, "Got a D on my chemistry test and I feel like a genius!" It's unlikely someone would feel like a genius after receiving a poor grade. Therefore, you can reasonably assume this is sarcasm. You can also look for elongated letters alongside hyperbolic language. When speaking, someone may draw out hyperbolic intensifiers to indicate sarcasm. In text, someone may add letters to indicate this verbal tendency. For example, "I just pulled an all-nighter studying for Professor Mendez's algebra exam and I'm just feeling fantastic."

Look at any references. World references or references to popular culture embedded in the text can indicate sarcasm. If you're unsure if a writer is being sarcastic, see if he or she uses any references. Use of references may very well indicate sarcasm if they're used in a way that feels off. For example, say someone is responding to another writer's political view in the comments section of a news article. That person may say something like, "Your response is about as tempered as a Tea Party rally." The Tea Party is a political organization known for its intense, sometimes aggressive rallies. Saying a response is "tempered" and then immediately comparing it to such a rally likely indicates sarcasm. The speaker may also ask a question that's obviously true to indicate sarcasm. For example, someone may ask an obvious question on a forum, to which the obvious answer is "Yes." A sarcastic speaker may respond with something like, "Could Moses count to 10?" Given Moses is known in the Bible as the bearer of the 10 Commandments, it's very likely he could count to 10. The answer to this question is also, obviously, yes. The writer is likely being sarcastic.

Scan for capital letters. Oftentimes, in sarcastic writing, certain words will be capitalized. This is to indicate a tone that may be used to indicate sarcasm when speaking. If a sentence contains capital words, it may very well be sarcastic. For example, say someone is disagreeing with another writer's point on a political forum. The writer may respond with something like, "Okay, THAT makes sense." The capitalized "that" indicates that, in a sentence, the word "that" would be spoken slightly louder than the rest of the sentence. Verbally, that would indicate sarcasm. Capital letters may be used in conjunction with other elements of sarcastic writing. For example, the speaker may say something like, "Okay, THAAAAT makes sense! FANTASTIC point." This could indicate sarcasm, mixed in with a hint of aggression.

See if the writing feels otherwise aggressive. Oftentimes, sarcasm is used by a speaker who's angry or frustrated. If the writing feels otherwise aggressive, it's more likely to be sarcastic. It the writer is engaged in a heated argument, for example, you're more likely to find writing that is laced with sarcasm.

Detect sarcasm in literary works and other media. Sarcasm has been used as a literary device, or a writing technique used to help get an idea across, for as long as people have been writing stories. Writers of books, screenplays and comedy sketches often employ sarcasm as a way to develop a character's personality. For example, the Game of Thrones character Tyrion Lannister is known for being witty and sarcastic. The following dialogue is dripping with his signature sarcasm: “No man threatens His Grace in the presence of the Kingsguard.” Tyrion Lannister raised an eyebrow. “I am not threatening the king, ser, I am educating my nephew. Bronn, Timett, the next time Ser Boros opens his mouth, kill him.” The dwarf smiled. “Now that was a threat, ser. See the difference?” Satire is similar to sarcasm in that it's a way of using humor to bring attention to foolishness or weakness. Satire is bigger in scale than sarcasm; an entire book, play or movie can be satirical, and satire is usually meant to make fun of social institutions, not just individuals. For example, George Orwell's Animal Farm is a satire of Soviet Communism. Parody is another literary device that is related to sarcasm. A parody is an imitation of a something that is meant to mock the original to comedic effect. For example, when Tina Fey appears as Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live, she's parodying Palin's way of dressing and speaking.

Considering Other Aspects

Consider the writer. If you know the writer personally, consider the writer's personality and point of view. This may offer insight as to whether or not this person is being sarcastic or not. Sarcasm is frequently used as a form of humor. If the writer is known to make jokes, he or she may be using sarcasm in text. Sarcasm is also used when someone is frustrated. Is this person one to get annoyed easily? Also, consider the writer's opinions. If this is a writer is, politically, pretty far to the right, he or she saying Obama's new healthcare policy is "just wonderful" is probably sarcasm.

Examine context. Just as you can figure out the meaning of the word by examining the words around it, you can detect sarcasm by examining context. Where did you encounter this piece of writing you believe is sarcastic? Given the context, is there any evidence that would indicate sarcasm? What was happening leading up to the sarcastic sentence? Was the writer expressing an opinion, joking around with another person, or engaging in an argument? All three of these situations are ones where sarcasm is a likely response. You should also look at the text proceeding the potentially sarcastic portion. It may be leading in to sarcasm. For example, let's return to an above example. If the writer spent a paragraph criticizing Obama's healthcare plan, and then said the plan was "just wonderful," you can reasonably assume the "just wonderful" sentiment was meant to be sarcastic.

Think about the medium. Where are you reading the text? Are you on an online forum or are you reading an e-mail for work? Certain mediums are more prone to sarcasm than others. You could get in trouble for sending a sarcastic e-mail in a professional setting. However, people use sarcasm all the time when casually commenting on articles online.

Responding to Sarcasm

Do not acknowledge it. If you are the target of sarcasm, there are a variety of ways to respond. If you do not want to engage in an argument, you can choose to simply not acknowledge sarcasm. Simply ignore the sarcastic comment. Return to the point you were trying to make without engaging in it. For example, let's return to the healthcare example. You could simply reiterate your own points in favor of healthcare while not acknowledging the "just wonderful" comment. If you want to deescalate a potentially intense situation and get back on track to making progress, simply ignoring sarcasm is a good route.

Reiterate the sarcasm. Sarcasm may not be intended to be taken seriously. If you're just joking around with someone, and they text you a sarcastic comment, you can text back one of your own. Exchanging sarcastic texts and e-mails is a great way to have fun with a friend.

Respond to a sarcastic work e-mail appropriately. A sarcastic e-mail is often a cause of frustration, especially if you get one in a work setting. This is often unprofessional and you may be unsure of the best response. Try to remain calm and respond to a sarcastic work e-mail appropriately. Wait a few hours to respond. If you're frustrated by an e-mail, you may end up saying something you don't mean in response. Give yourself time to process before firing back. Be the bigger person in this case. Do not fire back with sarcasm of your own. Instead, respond with something like, "I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated." As a lot of meaning is lost through written communication, it may be a good idea to take the conversation offline. Say something like, "I'll be in my office at 3 today, if you would like to discuss this matter further." If the sender refuses to deescalate the situation, and responds with further aggression or sarcasm, you may want to report the issue to someone in human resources.