Valuation and Irony in Text in the Light of Speech Act Theory

Abstract

This article focuses on the issue of valuation and discusses the role and textual properties of irony in the light of speech act theory. The research material used for the analysis comes from the novel by Philip Kerr "March Violets", which is a representative of the historical detective novel genre. The article does not aim to criticize the book's translations, but focuses on the message itself, which, through them, reaches the recipient and makes a specific impression on him/her. This specific impression, evoked by said speech acts and thoughtfully encoded in the text, is subject to the analysis here. Sociolinguistic assumptions have been adopted as the basis for these considerations, which seems to be justified in so far as language within such analytical framework can be treated as a binder across social groups, nations, communities, and may, therefore, play a significant role both in shaping them, shaping their collective beliefs, ideas, and cultural norms.