1994 年 9 巻 2 号 p. 283-289
Irony is a kind of rhetoric which, by saying the opposite to his intention, achieves the transmission of his intention. Irony is used all over the world, irrespective of nationality, age, social status, etc., which suggests the existence of the common logic underlining irony. We formulate the phenomena of irony with the help of the dialogue model. According to this model, the essence of irony lies in the function that irony allows the transmission of the intention, and at the same time not to register it in the common belief, consequently inhibit/excuse the partner to counterargue.