The aim of this study is to identify the concept of irony as expressed in the 1957 book by B.F. Skinner, Verbal Behaviour, and to enlarge it with the definitions of irony contained in the 1961 work by M.H.N. Paiva, Contribution to a Stylistic Irony. Skinner’s concept of irony was interpreted using behavioural hermeneutics. Skinner's and Paiva's work complement each other; Skinner’s concept of irony was merged into Paiva's definition of irony. The result shows that Skinner´s irony can be conceptualized as a verbal behaviour under multiple control from stimuli and motivational operations and directed to multiple audiences with different functions. Paiva contributes by differentiating the five types of irony and the atmospheres that can indicate different and important functions of the ridicule that the irony generates. The conclusion is that this attachment contributes to the functional analysis of verbal irony and can point to where, how and why (for what) this behaviour is emitted with respect to the various facets of ridicule