1887
Volume 31, Issue 2
  • ISSN 0929-0907
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9943
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Abstract

Abstract

This article discusses “specified compliments” consisting of a positive evaluation of an ability or achievement; a preposition; and an area of expertise or excellence, e.g. “experts in security”. An analysis of 74 examples in comments on politicians’ Facebook posts during 2020–2021 revealed that specified compliments convey a predominantly ironic meaning in order to criticize the complimentee. Three different categories of ironic specified compliments are identified: (1) compliments where the area of expertise is positive and are interpreted as ironical based on their linguistic and extralinguistic context; (2) compliments where the area of expertise is negative and are thus understood as insincere; and (3) compliments in which the area of expertise is apparently positive but less than other areas, and therefore they are paradoxically interpreted as both sincere compliments in a specific area and a condemnation in general.

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2025-01-17
2025-02-15
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): compliments; condemnation; Facebook; irony; readers’ comments
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