THE ROLE OF CONTEXT IN THE INTERPRETATION OF IRONY
The paper describes the role of context in the interpretation of ironic utterances. Verbal irony is used to create specific relationship between the speaker, the addressee and the object of irony. The communicative goals of the ironist can vary from slight criticism to aggression. The interpretation of irony requires, in the first place, evaluation of the speaker's ironic intention as such. Secondly, the addressee has to recognize goals of the speaker. Ironic utterances contain different verbal signals which help to determine ironic intention. For further interpretation the addressee needs to take into account external context, that is, the situation shared by the speaker, the addressee and the irony's victim.