Are you not hungry? You've eaten everything on your plate!”: Comprehension of three types of irony in peruvian children; [«Tu n’as pas d’appétit? Tu as mangé tout ce qu’il y avait dans l’assiette!»: Compréhension de trois types d’ironie chez des enfants péruviens]; [Você não tem apetite? Você comeu tudo o que estava no prato!: Compreensão de três tipos de ironia em crianças peruanas]

Osorio S.; Fernández-Flecha M. · Lengua y Sociedad (2026) · DOI: 10.15381/lengsoc.v25i1.31635

Resumen

Verbal irony is a form of non-literal language that, given the various mechanisms involved in its interpretation, is considered a complex phenomenon that develops late. The specialized literature has shown that there are various factors involved in understanding irony. The main objective of this study is to determine the role played by the type of ironic statement in their comprehension by Spanish-speaking Peruvian children between the ages of 6 and 10 (N = 50). In this regard, we sought to identify the evolutionary trajectory of the comprehension of three types of ironic expressions (counterfactual, hyperbolic, and rhetorical) in the selected sample. An experimental design based on stories accompanied by cartoons was used, which were administered individually and virtually due to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the understanding of irony differs according to its type and that this skill develops progressively with age during this period. According to this, certain types may be easier to understand and, to that extent, may develop earlier. This work represents a significant contribution, as it provides data on an aspect of linguistic development that is susceptible to greater cultural variability and has been little studied to date in this community. © Los autores. All rights reserved.

Instituciones: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú; Universidad de Piura