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Questions tagged [irony]

for questions about irony and ironic statements.

Irony is the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

For example:

"Don't go overboard with the gratitude," he rejoined with heavy irony.

meaning that the gratitude he expected didn't come.

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Sarcasm without contradiction between literal and appeared meaning

What exactly is the definition of sarcasm? As I’ve understood it, verbal irony is when the literal meaning of a sentence differs from the appeared meaning (it is opposite/close to opposite). If the irony is directed at a person in a slightly…
emeliec
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Is it ironic to write on a dry-erase board with a permanent marker?

There is a dry-erase board. It has a shopping list on it. At the bottom of the shopping list, I added "Dry-erase Markers". But I did this in permanent marker, because we were all out of dry-erase markers. Is this ironic? Why or why not?
Evorlor
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Irony - Alanis Morisette Song

This is old news ...but I am having trouble understanding why some of Alanis Morisette's examples from her song 'Ironic' are not ironic. For example: "An old man turned ninety-eight. He won the lottery and died the next day." In this case, isn't…
0MM0
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Is this event ironic or a funny coincidence: (explain why as well)

Is this event ironic or a funny coincidence: (explain why as well) Bob is walking with Jerry outside after it has just finished raining. Bob starts on about this time some "stupid, aloof" guy walked right into a puddle because he wasn't paying…
Paradox
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Example of Irony

Recently I had a test in college that asks us to give an example of irony. I wrote this word by word: An astronaut had over 200 missions into space over two decades. Ironically, two days after he returned from his latest mission, he tripped on a…
Edwin
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If it's not ironic, what is it?

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the word ironic. A good example is Alanis Morissette's "Ironic". I looked at three articles discussing it, and one said that the song was ironic because the lyrics weren't ironic, one article explained how…
Joel
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Can dramatic irony function retrospectively?

Please do not read the following if you have never read Oedipus or are unfamiliar with the plot of the play, in case it spoils the reading for you: In Sophocles' play Oedipus the King, the dramatic irony of much of Oedipus' earlier words is not…
Aleksandr Hovhannisyan
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Is 'irony' the correct word to describe a character's delusionary observations?

In the following passage, would it be correct to say that the bolded sentence uses irony? She walks past one of the farm workers (is his name John?), a robust, small- headed man wearing a potato-coloured vest, cleaning the ditch that runs…
Paul Lassiter
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What's the term for speech that *unintentionally* conveys the opposite of its literal meaning?

A small child is lost in a dark forest at night. He hears a wolf howl and says out loud, "I'm not afraid." The key here is that the true meaning is unintentionally conveyed. The child is afraid, but thinks he isn't supposed to be, which is why he…
Peter Mullaney
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Irony and lack of self-awareness

They are not the same, are they? For example, if a person says: "I can't stand those f----ng people because they are so foul-mouthed!", I don't view the statement as ironic. But some highly-educated friends disagree with me.
user173015
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When the response is as stupid as the question

What do I say when someone asks a stupid question, then I give them a stupid answer, after that they complain "your answer sounds as if you're talking down to me". How do I convey that "my answer is the same as your question" or "my answer is worth…
shal
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Why does the definition of Irony have conditions outside the dictionary definition?

I've often been confused by the definition of irony, since it seems to me that more than most words, people like to argue and correct people as to whether something actually does constitute irony or not. Merriam-Webster gives a very simple…
Richard Miles
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Is irony used correctly in the following sentence?

I came across this sentence: The most interesting job paid the least, in keeping with the laws of irony. Someone please explain how is this ironic?
Curious
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Is it "ironic" is someone proclaims to be the opposite or what they are?

I've heard it referred-to several times as "ironic" but is there a more appropriate term for when a group of people accuse another group of being what they themselves are. (eg. people with no sense of humour accusing funny people of being…
Tez
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Are these examples of irony?

My understanding of (situational) irony is that it involves a certain expectation for the outcome of a situation but the reality ends up being opposite to that. I'm not sure if there has to some explicit action to ensure the expected outcome e.g. I…
user1936752
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