Embodied simulations and verbal irony comprehension

Abstract Recent research has addressed the role that embodied simulations (ESs) play in language processing ( Bergen, 2012 ). One forefront in this work is investigating ESs’ role in metaphorical language comprehension, as when one hears or reads: “The Donald Trump supporter went bananas after the 2016 U.S. election”. The work reveals that the pattern of ESs found in metaphor processing resembles that of comparable non-metaphorical language – but isn’t exactly the same. Current work is attempting to discern how similar/different these ES patterns are. To date, however, little work has explored embodied simulations in verbal irony (e.g., sarcasm, as in saying, “Nice work” when someone errs). The current study reports preliminary results of an analysis of ES activity when people process verbal irony.