Grama Girl here. I'm Minyon Fogarty and you can think of me as your friendly guide to

the English language. Writing, history, rules, and cool stuff. Today we'll talk about

why it's so hard to detect sarcasm in text and steps you can take to help people understand

you better. And I have a tidbit about where we get the phrase filthy lucre to describe

money. This sentence begins the best podcast segment you will ever hear. Chances are you

thought that last statement might be sarcasm. Sarcasm as a linguist Robert Gibbs noted includes

quote, words used to express something other than, and especially the opposite of, the literal

meaning of a sentence unquote. A form of irony it also tends to be directed toward a specific

individual. However, it's not always easy to figure out if a writer is being sarcastic,

particularly as we march ahead in a digital age that's transformed the way we communicate

with texting, emailing, and online commentary replacing face-to-face chats or phone conversations.

In writing, the signal of sarcasm can be muddied. For example, say you're texting with a friend

about meeting at the movies. Your friend texts, I'm waiting at the front. Movie starts in five.

You, I'm on my way now, should be there in ten. Your friend, I'm glad you were watching the clock

today. Was the friend being sarcastic or sincere? The later you are, the more upset they'll likely be

and the higher the probability their response is a sarcastic jab. But if your friend knows you're

usually much later, they could be sincere. So there's one thing to look for. How well does the

attitude the writers convey, agree with the situation and the person? Nonetheless, the struggle to

interpret written sarcasm is real. Studies have shown that people realize they have a tough time

interpreting sarcasm and writing. Studying the use of email, researchers found writers who think

they're being obviously sarcastic, still confused readers. Sarcasm thrives in ambiguous

situations and that's the main issue. When delivered in person, sarcasm tends to assume a cutting,

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