as ironic discourse

[palinkasocsi]

Dear Friends,

Which do you prefer:

1. I will talk about the development of sarcasm as ironic discourse unfolds.

2. I will talk about the development of sarasm as an ironic discourse unfolds.?

I guess both are correct.

Palinkasocsi

[Marius Hancu]

show context: unfolds where?

[palinkasocsi]

I mean: as the ironic meaning (implicature) emerges.

[Marius Hancu]

yes, but emerges where?

in your talk/paper

in others' work, which you discuss there

?


I will talk about the development of sarcasm in ironic discourse.
I will talk about the development of sarcasm as ironic discourse unfolds (in the works we're looking at/under consideration).

seems OK in the 2nd.

[palinkasocsi]

My original sentence would be:

"Figure 1 above then represents a schema that will help me demonstrate the temporal distribution of mental spaces as ironic discourse unfolds"

'In ironic discourse' would be fine too, but I want to emphasize the process leading to some ironic implicature (as irony unfolds in conversation). This is why I use 'unfold' as meaning 'emerge' or 'come into existence'. Do you think this is ambiguous? How do you see the use of the article now?


Palinkasocsi

[Marius Hancu]

implication

I will talk about the development of sarcasm as discourse unfolds toward(s) ironic implication(s).
I will talk about the emergence of sarcasm as discourse unfolds toward(s) ironic implication(s).

discourse [in the works analyzed, I guess, not your own discourse?] ??? what are you talking about?

[palinkasocsi]

'discourse' in the sense of 'conversation'

[OddThomas]

"Figure 1 above then represents a schema that will help me demonstrate the temporal distribution of mental spaces as ironic discourse unfolds"

I interpret this to mean that (what occupies) mental spaces change(s) over time (i.e., temporally), and that you have a mapping of this (i.e., your schema). Thus, the independent variable is the unfolding or progression of ironic discourse, and the dependent variable is the distribution of mental spaces over time.

If true, then the only word at issue is unfolds, and I could suggest progresses. But I rather like unfolds.

[palinkasocsi]

Thanks OddThomas.

Palinkasocsi