«Children also recognise the joke by the melody of the sentence»

Mrs Larrouy-Maestri, are you in favour of using ironic statements as a pedagogical tool?

It depends on the situation, but I generally see it as positive when parents make funny comments. It signals: This doesn't meet my expectations right now, but I still love you! If this leads to undesirable behaviour being stopped, it may be more effective than strict measures.

What surprised you during your research?

My team and I discovered that irony is also decoded by a shift in emphasis, i.e. when words are pronounced at a low pitch, especially at the beginning of a sentence. Witty utterances differ from «sincere» speech in that they have a different tone of voice, a prolonged emphasis and a low basic vocal frequency. From the age of around nine, children are able to pay attention and recognise that adults mean something different from what they say.

Irony is like a secret code: Some statements are only understood by the family.

Pauline Larrouy-Maestri, psychologist

What is a low vocal fundamental frequency?

When making ironic remarks, the voice is often a little lower, which creates an interesting effect - a pattern that is also found in rhetorical questions. This is different from the normal way of speaking and gives the whole thing an additional humorous flavour.

Sometimes you play with your voice, with ups and downs, as with questions to which you don't actually expect an answer. It depends on how you want to get your point across and what situation you're in. And, of course, how old the children are and whether they already understand irony.

Not only are vocal nuances important in communication, but also the context?

Exactly. Certain statements can often only be deciphered «internally», because irony is like a secret code. Some jokes, for example, are only understood by the family. When the daughter is still running around in her pyjamas in the morning instead of being dressed ready for school, her mother calls out: «So, ready for the catwalk at fashion week?» They both laugh at this, as both mother and daughter know how much care the girl takes to always dress smartly.

Are there different types of irony?

Yes, the most frequently used is situational irony. When the children come home late, the parents exclaim: «Well, perfectly on time. You can adjust the clock!» Another variant is the sarcastic way of expressing criticism: a divorced father introduces his son to his new partner. The boy doesn't fancy the meeting, remains silent the whole evening, doesn't answer any questions and lets the new partner down, no matter how hard she tries. When the father tells his best friend about the evening, the comment promptly follows: «Well, that must have gone down really well with her!» Sometimes it just helps to soften the anger with a little humour .