---
title: sarcasm — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sarcasm» in the school dictionary: Sarcasm is saying the opposite of what you mean, often in a mocking voice, to make fun of something or to show you are annoyed. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sarcasm/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/) / sarcasm

# sarcasm

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Sarcasm, you, he, She, teacher, Wendy · **What happens:** say, mean, make, show, be, pour · **To what, where:** opposite, mocking voice, fun, sarcasm, voice, people · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«sarcasm» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [sarcasm in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sarcasm.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sarcasm is saying the opposite of what you mean, often in a mocking voice, to make fun of something or to show you are annoyed.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:m1:1
# text = Sarcasm is saying the opposite of what you mean, often in a mocking voice, to make fun of something or to show you are annoyed.
1	Sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	opposite	opposite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	mean	mean	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	often	often	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	mocking	mocking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
19	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	19	nmod	_	_
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
23	to	to	PART	TO	_	24	mark	_	_
24	show	show	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	18	conj	_	_
25	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	_
26	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	27	cop	_	_
27	annoyed	annoyed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · progressive | Sarcasm | the opposite |  | a mocking voice |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: agent=Agent opposite=Theme in voice=Manner |
| 2 | **mean** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | fun of something |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset fun=Product |
| 4 | **show** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | annoyed *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Great weather for a picnic," he said with sarcasm, as it poured.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x1:1
# text = "Great weather for a picnic," he said with sarcasm, as it poured.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	ccomp	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	poured	pour	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | he |  |  |  |  | with sarcasm | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: agent=Agent with sarcasm=Manner |
| 2 | **pour** | past | sarcasm |  |  |  |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She did not notice the sarcasm in his voice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x2:1
# text = She did not notice the sarcasm in his voice.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	notice	notice	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **notice** | past · do-support | She | the sarcasm |  | his voice |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer sarcasm=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sarcasm can be funny, but it can also hurt people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x3:1
# text = Sarcasm can be funny, but it can also hurt people.
1	Sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	also	also	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | can | Sarcasm |  |  |  |  | funny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **hurt** | can | Sarcasm | people |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer people=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Oh, thanks a lot," she said, full of sarcasm.

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x4:1
# text = "Oh, thanks a lot," she said, full of sarcasm.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	thanks	thank	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	ccomp	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
9	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	ccomp	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **thank** *speech: thank* *in a quote* | present |  | a lot |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lot=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's hard to tell sarcasm in a text message.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x5:1
# text = It's hard to tell sarcasm in a text message.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	message	message	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  | sarcasm |  | a text message |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent sarcasm=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher asked us not to use sarcasm in the debate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x6:1
# text = The teacher asked us not to use sarcasm in the debate.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
8	sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	debate	debate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the teacher |  | us |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **use** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | sarcasm |  | the debate |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sarcasm=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But for the moment Wendy was shocked. “You conceit,” she exclaimed, with frightful sarcasm; “of course I did nothing!”

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* But for the moment Wendy was shocked.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x7:1
# text = But for the moment Wendy was shocked.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
5	Wendy	Wendy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	shocked	shocked	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  | moment | shocked *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* “You conceit,” she exclaimed, with frightful sarcasm; “of course I did nothing!”

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sarcasm:x7:2
# text = “You conceit,” she exclaimed, with frightful sarcasm; “of course I did nothing!”
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	conceit	conceit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	exclaimed	exclaim	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	frightful	frightful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
13	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	of	of	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADV	17	advmod	_	_
15	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	fixed	_	_
16	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
18	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **conceit** *in a quote* | present | You |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **exclaim** *speech: express* | past | Wendy |  |  |  |  | with frightful sarcasm | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **do** *in a quote* | past | I | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Eventuality |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [sapphire](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sapphire/)
- next →: [sarcastic](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sarcastic/)
- ↑ back to [S in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/)