Irony in Ch. Darwin’s works: a complex approach

Abstract

The article attempts at a complex approach to irony in scientific discourse by Ch. Darwin through combining three perspectives of irony studies: interpretational, communicative and linguistic stylistic proper. The object of consideration is Ch. Darwin’s texts as suggested by the popularity of the world view created by the scientist, a great variety of genres and the brilliant English language of his works. Irony in his books is created by a number of means and models: stylistically marked vocabulary, metaphors, comparisons and comparative constructions based on contrast and paradox, picture-sketches, intertextual fragments. The use of interpretational approach reveals both “one-stage” and “two-stage” interpretations of irone. The former is implied by popular fixed images, clichés, and references to other scientists’ opinion using stylistically marked vocabulary. The latter involves inference and picture-sketches. Communicative approach includes several issues: the knowledge of the epoch of text creation, author’s goals of setting respectful and equal relations with his readers. The addressee is regarded as a “non-alien” which corresponds to the means of presenting the material. Darwin’s textual strategy is neither “aggression” nor “defense”, it is rather a “role-play” strategy where roles can be changed within text fragments. The complex approach used in the article allows a concise consideration of author’s linguistic personality and his ways of presenting information.