Quote:
Originally Posted by yvanleterrible
Sarcasm does not need any symbol to represent it. It would be a pleonasm in the fact that sacasm is used to point out an inadequacy of subtlety in the recipient. It is always a test do be done with care to a recipient's levels of understanding, unless evaluating a public. Failure of one to recognize a sarcasm affirms the inadequacy test, but one who finds humo(u)r in it is rewarded with parity. If the tester wants peace it is worthless to use a sarcasm unless its level is low... very low. 
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See Suzette Haden Elgin's
The Language Imperative for an interesting discussion on the lack of intonation and other marks of intent in written English, and the effect of these lacks on its "deniability".
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