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You’ll also be firmly grounded in the real-time context of the situation, so when they say, “Man, nice job ironing your clothes,” you can look down - and see your wrinkled shirt.Īll of these cues have been researched, and we know enough about them that we have the ability to artificially make a sincerely spoken statement sound sarcastic.Īnd yet when we text, a lot of that information goes missing. Equally or more helpful, the tone of their voice will likely change, too – they may sound more intense or draw out certain phrases.

When you have a conversation with someone face-to-face (or FaceTime-to-FaceTime) and they say something sarcastic, you’ll see their facial expression, and they may look slightly bemused or tense. The problem is that a lot of previous studies of sarcasm have been done on spoken sarcasm, which tends to give listeners cues. Studies have examined the use of sarcasm in a variety of everyday situations, whether it’s at work to give criticism or praise, or in situations where social norms get violated. But written messages don’t always get that attitude across or give you much else to go on.

When delivered in person, sarcasm tends to assume a cutting, bitter tone. Sarcasm thrives in ambiguous situations – and that’s the main issue. Studying the use of email, researchers found writers who think they’re being obviously sarcastic still confuse readers. Studies have shown that people realize they have a tough time interpreting sarcasm in writing. Nonetheless, the struggle to interpret written sarcasm is real. So there’s one thing to look for: How well does the attitude the writer is conveying agree with the situation and the person?

But if your friend knows you’re usually much later, they could be sincere. 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. Should be there in 10.įriend: I’m glad you were watching the clock today. For example, say you’re texting with a friend about meeting at the movies:įriend: I’m waiting at the front. In writing, the signal of sarcasm can be muddied.