What do you call it?

[Joe]

Suppose you hold a low opinion of John. Instead of saying what's on your mind, you say, "John is a really nice man". From your tone or the context, listeners understand that you are suggesting otherwise. In my mother tongue, we refer to what the speaker is doing as "opposite wording", one type of sarcasm. Does "opposite wording" work? How would you put it? Thanks.

:)

[Tdol]

We'd just say that the speaker spoke sarcastically or ironically. I wouldn't use 'opposite wording'.

[twostep]

We'd just say that the speaker spoke sarcastically or ironically. I wouldn't use 'opposite wording'.

In southern AA - glad handling. Be charming, be nice, just do not speak the truth.