View Single Post
(#4 (permalink))
Old
Columbine's Avatar
Columbine (Offline)
Busier Than Shinjuku Station
 
Posts: 1,466
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: United Kingdom
06-24-2011, 05:31 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by tokusatsufan View Post
I wasn't sure about this because I looked up "sarcasm" in my Japanese dictionary and it wasn't there. Do they not ever joke like that? Or do they just not call it sarcasm?
Sarcasm's not used so much in Japanese humor. Parody often is, and satire sometimes, but as Nyororin said, sarcasm is usually seen as pretty harsh and rude. One word for it, れいひょう 冷評 also means to sneer or jeer.

You do get irony, which can prompt a good laugh. Like when it was pouring with rain, I used to sometimes say to the bike-lot attendant, "Wow, lovely weather today isn't it?" but just going by the reactions I used to get, ("*laughing* Whaaat? What's good about it?" "I'm from England, it's totally nostalgic!") I don't think it's too commonly used by Japanese people themselves. But I'm not sure, so don't take my word for it!
Reply With Quote