Listening: Advanced Pragmatic & Discourse Understanding C2 - Lesson 2: Understanding Implied Meaning, Irony, Humor, and Sarcasm in Highly Nuanced Speech

C1 Listening: Understanding Inference and Nuance CEFR Level C1 Lesson Goals This lesson develops your ability to listen for inference. You will learn to analyze a speaker's tone, attitude, and intent to understand implied meanings, such as sarcasm and polite criticism . Reading Between the Lines At an advanced level, listening is about more than just understanding words; it's about understanding the speaker's true meaning, or intent. This often involves interpreting nuances —subtle differences in tone and delivery that reveal feelings like humor, annoyance, or doubt. 1. Understanding Sarcasm Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony where a speaker says the opposite of what they mean, often to be funny or to criticize. The true meaning is conveyed through a mismatch between the positive words and the negative, often flat or exaggerated, tone of voice. Scenario: It starts raining heavily just as you are about to go for a picnic. Your friend looks outside and says (in a slow, flat tone): "…