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back to article CompSci boffins find Reddit is ideal source for sarcasm database

Over here at El Reg, we think that chatbots are, like, the best thing ever. Not. But would they be any better if they could detect sarcasm and retaliate with their own snide remarks? A group of computer scientists from Princeton University, USA, certainly think so. Mikhail Khodak, Nikunj Saunshi and Kiran Vodrahalli, all …

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  1. elDog

    That's a bunch of crap. Potty humor is much lower than sarcasm!

    "Oscar Wilde famously said: “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit”. Although the database might give researchers a better chance at cracking sarcasm, it’ll be a long, long time before machines are smart enough to understand us."

    Really, all I need to do around a table of prim and proper peoples is to start talking about bowel movements, borborygmi and flatulence and everyone cracks a smile - perhaps a bit pained. Is there anything lower than that? (Excepting knee and foot fetishes.)

    3 0 Reply
    1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken
      Reply Icon

      Re: That's a bunch of crap. Potty humor is much lower than sarcasm!

      Oh, really? I fart in your general direction!

      7 0 Reply
    2. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: That's a bunch of crap. Potty humor is much lower than sarcasm!

      Oscar was probably being sarcastic

      8 0 Reply
      1. Chris Miller
        Reply Icon

        The full quote:

        “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence.” Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde

        8 0 Reply
        1. Whitter
          Reply Icon
          Joke

          Re: The full quote:

          But was Wilde being sarcastic?

          1 0 Reply
  2. Florida1920
    Facepalm

    able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

    Most humans don't get sarcasm!

    8 0 Reply
    1. Ole Juul
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      Re: able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

      I'd say that the people who use tags like /s and not don't get sarcasm either, since doing that negates the effect.

      It is quite difficult for both machines and humans to distinguish sarcasm without context.

      Perhaps therein lies the key, because nothing exists without context. Someone who doesn't get the context is probably not aware of their social or other environment in which the sarcasm is presented.

      4 2 Reply
      1. Rich 11
        Reply Icon

        Re: able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

        I'd say that the people who use tags like /s and not don't get sarcasm either, since doing that negates the effect.

        People do that because the visual and vocal cues available in the real world are not visible online. Using /s heads off a derailing of the thread by those who respond in anger when you suggest, for example, on a parenting forum that babies are quite tasty with sriracha sauce.

        17 1 Reply
        1. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

          Rich11, that's ridiculous!!!

          The delicate flavour of babies is overwelmed by sriracha sauce and you need something delicate butter sauce to complement it...

          8 0 Reply
          1. Toni the terrible Bronze badge
            Reply Icon
            Joke

            Re: able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

            parboiled or roast? I like babies but I could never eat a whole one

            0 0 Reply
    2. Chemical Bob
      Reply Icon

      Re: able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

      "Most humans don't get sarcasm!"

      Are you being sarcastic?

      1 0 Reply
    3. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

      No most Americans dont get sarcasm, or irony

      0 1 Reply
  3. Justicesays
    Facepalm

    Ok....

    Training systems to detect sarcasm by looking at examples of sarcasm that have to be in tags to be obvious to the reader.

    Seems smart to me.

    Sorry

    <sarcasm> Seems smart to me </sarcasm>

    8 3 Reply
    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Ok....

      To be fair, the researchers were American

      20 1 Reply
      1. a_yank_lurker
        Reply Icon

        Re: Ok....

        From an Imbecile League university, PU believes its own hype about their intelligence - an observation from a townie.

        1 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: examples of sarcasm that have to be in tags

      Sarcasm is often indicated in speech with a particular tone of voice, hence the /s (or whatever) is merely the typed equivalent. You may prefer your spoken sarcasm uninflected, but that's not the way everyone does it. Further, in cases where all in earshot (or forum) may NOT KNOW the speaker , there may be no reason to assume an intended sarcasm when (e.g.) "nutter" or "bigot" may be the more straightforward interpretation.

      Which is not to say that using "/s" is a requirement, just that it serves a useful purpose.

      13 2 Reply
  4. Nolveys

    Early Failures In Sarcastic Computing Technology

    "I wonder if it's safe to open the hatch yet. Computer, has the pressure equalized between the inner and outer chambers?"

    "Yes, the pressure is completely equal between the chambers. There is no deadly pressure differential whatsoever. Feel free to open the hatch whenever you feel like it."

    10 0 Reply
    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Early Failures In Sarcastic Computing Technology

      A ravenous bugblatter beast of trall, is it safe ?

      Yes it's perfectly safe

      Oh, good

      we are the ones in trouble.....

      9 0 Reply
    2. P. Lee
      Reply Icon

      Re: Early Failures In Sarcastic Computing Technology

      There will be cake when you get to the other side.

      4 0 Reply
  5. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    What about false positives? Like posts that the software tags as sarcastic, when the author wasn't using sarcasm at all... but irony?

    0 0 Reply
    1. Frumious Bandersnatch
      Reply Icon

      wasn't using sarcasm at all... but irony

      FTA:

      Since sarcasm often involves humans stating something opposed to their beliefs or wants

      Oops.

      <sarcasm>Typical Yanks. Can't tell the difference between irony and sarcasm</sarcasm>

      <sarcasm><irony>Finally, something to learn Americans to speak English good</irony></sarcasm>

      3 2 Reply
  6. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    "He used... sarcasm."

    5 0 Reply
  7. Mark 85

    I'm shocked.. shocked I tell you. It takes some uni professors to detect sarcasm these days? What have we as a species become....

    2 0 Reply
  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Yanks can't spot irony

    Simply everything on the internet is ironic these days. The only question is how many layers? 5 or 6 is the absolute minimum.

    3 4 Reply
    1. Just Enough
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      Re: Yanks can't spot irony

      Sarcasm != Irony

      4 0 Reply
      1. TRT Silver badge
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        Re: Yanks can't spot irony

        Ironic that the very people that should understand that, don't.

        7 0 Reply
      2. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Yanks can't spot irony

        Where in my post did I say sarcasm? Oh right I didn't. Yanks shouldn't be allowed to post on .co.uk sites, simple as that.

        0 6 Reply
        1. TRT Silver badge
          Reply Icon

          Re: Yanks can't spot irony

          Hey, if you want to see the difference between irony and sarcasm, check out the "Unroll.me" news story breaking today.

          1 0 Reply
  9. jake Silver badge

    These researchers ...

    ... have found something useful ... reddit users need /s tags to understand sarcasm. That would explain the death of Usenet. Film at 11.

    3 6 Reply
  10. P. Lee
    Paris Hilton

    >it is important for chatbots and intelligent assistants to be able to understand when a person is being sarcastic

    Who said Americans don't understand sarcasm?

    0 0 Reply
    1. Sgt_Oddball
      Reply Icon
      Trollface

      Who said Americans don't understand sarcasm?

      People who do...

      12 1 Reply
  11. xeroks

    correct use of /s in reddit

    An important feature of reddit that I don't recall being mentioned in the article is that redditors are able to retrospectively edit their comments. Like many online comment environments with this feature, the etiquette is to add an "EDIT:" postscript explaining any changes.

    The majority of sarcastic comments in reddit do not initially have a "/s", as the author expects the readers to understand the context, and that they were being sarcastic.

    In the circumstance where the comment gets a lot of flack and downvotes, they will often edit their comment, adding something along the lines of:

    EDIT: added /s - Don't you guys get a joke?

    3 0 Reply
    1. JCitizen
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      Re: correct use of /s in reddit

      It has been my observation that the more nerd a commentard is, the less likely they will detect sarcasm. So every time one of them joins the discussion, everyone has to explain themselves to them. It really is easier just to use the "/s" symbol to avoid having the over explain EVERY DAMN TIME! Phew! Got that one off me chest!

      0 0 Reply
  12. jukejoint

    Will no one think of the Children? Or the Demented?

    Since I'm from the GCITW, it behooves me to remind those faithful readers (not the unfaithful ones they can go to hell) who have forgotten - or never knew - sarcasm is a higher mental function than can be detected reliably by children, those suffering from certain brain disorders, or right-wing nut jobs.

    Though the alleged "president" of the GCITW was not a direct catalyst for the development of the notation '/s', we light orange candles every day in thanks for its invention, so that all may reach the same understanding and reap opportunities for chortling happily over these enjoyable rejoinders. Also it has allowed us to accurately diagnose the underlying illness of the aforesaid personage. Apparently there's a whole bunch out there just like him.

    0 1 Reply
  13. Scott 29
    Trollface

    Apart from chavs the British have no class

    Point your sarcasm detector at that IQ^2 audiocast.

    0 0 Reply
  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Puns

    Sarcasm

    Irony

    ???

    Profit!

    0 0 Reply

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