Pre-Listening Vocabulary

mock/ridicule: to make fun of; to make someone feel ridiculous, bad, or stupid

sarcastic: not literal; meaning the opposite of what one says

intention: purpose

Sarcasm Means To Tear Flesh

Sarcasm is a remark that is used to mock or ridicule someone. The speaker usually means exactly the opposite of what he says. For example, if your brother says “Nice hair!” to you in a sarcastic tone, he means that your hair looks terrible. The word sarcasm comes from a Greek verb (sarkazein) that means to tear flesh. Sarcasm is such a common communicative device that people sometimes forget that the real intention of sarcasm is to be harmful, not to be funny.