On the problematic concept of ironic mention

The mention theory of irony, which argues that the ironist uses his utterance to mention its literal meaning expressing a derogative attitude toward it, is excelled and comprehended by Ducrot's perspective based in his notion of polyphony. The polyphonic account of irony trascends also the pretense theory, according to which the ironist pretends to be an injudicious person, but is actually intending the persons to whom the irony is addressed to discover the pretense and thereby his negative attitude toward the speaker and the utterance.