It is examined how irony works at the semantics/pragmatics interface by considering three elements of the ironic operation: the vehicle, the input, and the output. The input (i.e. the unit of meaning on which irony operates) to the ironic operation appears to be of three kinds: (a) part of the vehicle (i.e. the unit of meaning that carries the ironic intent), (b) triggered by the vehicle, or (c) discourse-dependent. Literal meaning is important in the proposed pragmatic model of irony, which aknowledges the dynamic nature of ironic meaning.