How many times have you seen the word "irony" used correctly?

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Neoyamaneko

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#1 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts

Far too many people keep mistaking coincidence or meeting a similar fate for irony.

Infinium Labs making a game system called "The Phantom" only for it to become Vaporware.....that's irony.

Being fired from a job exactly a year after being hired.....not irony.

Someone having a fatal car wreck near a "Dead End" sign....that's irony.

The "Irony" achievement in Bioshock.....not irony.

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Elraptor

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#2 Elraptor
Member since 2004 • 30966 Posts
I've seen it used improperly quite often, but irony is hard to define. I don't blame the masses for their difficulty. *adjusts monocle*
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gobo212

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#3 gobo212
Member since 2003 • 6277 Posts
I have seen it correctly used plenty of times but it does seem like a whole lot of people have no idea what it means.
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Decko5

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#4 Decko5
Member since 2004 • 9428 Posts
i was about to post this .... how ironic
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LJS9502_basic

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#5 LJS9502_basic  Online
Member since 2003 • 180110 Posts
Lots of times....but it's not like I keep track.:|
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#6 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts

Lots of times....but it's not like I keep track.:|LJS9502_basic
Who does? But that is why we have the term "more often than not".

i was about to post this ....
how ironicDecko5

*sigh* Once again.....coincidence is *not* irony.

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deactivated-5901ac91d8e33

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#7 deactivated-5901ac91d8e33
Member since 2004 • 17092 Posts
Explain how that classifies as irony please.
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Neoyamaneko

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#8 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts
Explain how that classifies as irony please.jointed
Which case?
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#9 LJS9502_basic  Online
Member since 2003 • 180110 Posts

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Lots of times....but it's not like I keep track.:|Neoyamaneko

Who does? But that is why we have the term "more often than not".

[

Topic called for a numeric value. How many times......please be more specific. It's ironic that you pick on grammar mistakes.;)

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deactivated-5901ac91d8e33

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#10 deactivated-5901ac91d8e33
Member since 2004 • 17092 Posts
[QUOTE="jointed"]Explain how that classifies as irony please.Neoyamaneko
Which case?

Both your examples.
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Decko5

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#11 Decko5
Member since 2004 • 9428 Posts

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Lots of times....but it's not like I keep track.:|Neoyamaneko

Who does? But that is why we have the term "more often than not".

i was about to post this ....
how ironicDecko5

*sigh* Once again.....coincidence is *not* irony.

lol i know

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Neoyamaneko

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#12 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts
[QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"] Did you think your parents saying, "How many times......" was literal, too? :roll:

[QUOTE="jointed"][QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"][QUOTE="jointed"]Explain how that classifies as irony please.LJS9502_basic



Which case?



Both your examples.

Case #1: Situational irony. They called it "The Phantom", a supernatural creature known for being immaterial, and the product never materialized on store shelves.

Case #2 : Cosmic irony. Having a fatal wreck in a place where it can be used as a term for the end of your life.

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soldier-dark

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#13 soldier-dark
Member since 2005 • 5909 Posts
Irony isn't too well defined, especially when we get into literary terms. Then there's three types of irony. And the examples you used for irony are coincidences, just thought I'd point that out.
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#14 LJS9502_basic  Online
Member since 2003 • 180110 Posts
[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"] Who does? But that is why we have the term "more often than not".

[Neoyamaneko

Topic called for a numeric value. How many times......please be more specific. It's ironic that you pick on grammar mistakes.;)

Did you think your parents saying, "How many times......" was literal, too? :roll:

They never used that phrase...and I can only go by your words to capture your meaning in the absence of body language. I'll not assume ...thank you! ;)
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Neoyamaneko

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#15 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts
[QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"][QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Topic called for a numeric value. How many times......please be more specific. It's ironic that you pick on grammar mistakes.;)

LJS9502_basic

Did you think your parents saying, "How many times......" was literal, too? :roll:

They never used that phrase...

So you're the one!

Irony isn't too well defined, especially when we get into literary terms. Then there's three types of irony. And the examples you used for irony are coincidences, just thought I'd point that out. soldier-dark

Actually, yes they are, and I already explained why. And the "Dead End" example is a quasi-popular example of cosmic irony.

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#16 nintendoman562
Member since 2007 • 5593 Posts
This topic is ironic.
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Funky_Llama

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#17 Funky_Llama
Member since 2006 • 18428 Posts

None. Ironic, really. *waits for pedantic reaction :P*

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Jamiemydearx3

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#18 Jamiemydearx3
Member since 2008 • 4062 Posts
:lol: I dont see it too often. Most kids are too dumb at my school, half of them dont even know what irony is. (Im a senior in High school btw)
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#19 LJS9502_basic  Online
Member since 2003 • 180110 Posts

If you want an example of misapplication of the term ironic.....check out the song Isn't It Ironic.

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#20 Oleg_Huzwog
Member since 2007 • 21885 Posts

I used an irony to get the wrinkles out of my shirt.

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Neoyamaneko

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#21 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts

If you want an example of misapplication of the term irony.....check out the song Isn't It Ironic.

LJS9502_basic
Ahh...good old Morrissettian Irony. I think there was only one real honest to God case of irony in the song.
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deactivated-5901ac91d8e33

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#22 deactivated-5901ac91d8e33
Member since 2004 • 17092 Posts
Ok, you never answered my question. Your examples are not examples of irony... which actually makes your thread ironic.
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#24 Funky_Llama
Member since 2006 • 18428 Posts

If you want an example of misapplication of the term ironic.....check out the song Isn't It Ironic.

LJS9502_basic
But perhaps it's actually ironic in that she wrote a song called 'irony' that didn't have any irony in it :o
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#25 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts
Ok, you never answered my question. Your examples are not examples of irony... which actually makes your thread ironic.jointed
No....it just makes you too lazy to read all the responses in the thread. I answered your question and I'll do it again because I'm just so nice. [quote="neoyamaneko"]Case #1: Situational irony. They called it "The Phantom", a supernatural creature known for being immaterial, and the product never materialized on store shelves. Case #2 : Cosmic irony. Having a fatal wreck in a place where it can be used as a term for the end of your life.

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#26 deactivated-5901ac91d8e33
Member since 2004 • 17092 Posts
[QUOTE="jointed"]Ok, you never answered my question. Your examples are not examples of irony... which actually makes your thread ironic.Neoyamaneko
No....it just makes you too lazy to read all the responses in the thread. I answered your question and I'll do it again because I'm just so nice. [quote="neoyamaneko"]Case #1: Situational irony. They called it "The Phantom", a supernatural creature known for being immaterial, and the product never materialized on store shelves. Case #2 : Cosmic irony. Having a fatal wreck in a place where it can be used as a term for the end of your life.

No, those are just coincidences. Wiki: "There is some argument about what qualifies as ironic, but all senses of irony revolve around the perceived notion of an incongruity between what is said and what is meant; or between an understanding of reality, or an expectation of a reality, and what actually happens." For example, if you write a book that's meant to convert Christians to atheism, but instead scares them away and makes more people convert to Christianity...THAT's irony.
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#27 Oleg_Huzwog
Member since 2007 • 21885 Posts

jointed is right. The examples given are not irony. Ironic statements are built around the use of opposites, or contradictions.

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#28 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts
[QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"][QUOTE="jointed"]Ok, you never answered my question. Your examples are not examples of irony... which actually makes your thread ironic.jointed
No....it just makes you too lazy to read all the responses in the thread. I answered your question and I'll do it again because I'm just so nice. [quote="neoyamaneko"]Case #1: Situational irony. They called it "The Phantom", a supernatural creature known for being immaterial, and the product never materialized on store shelves. Case #2 : Cosmic irony. Having a fatal wreck in a place where it can be used as a term for the end of your life.

No, those are just coincidences. Wiki: "There is some argument about what qualifies as ironic, but all senses of irony revolve around the perceived notion of an incongruity between what is said and what is meant; or between an understanding of reality, or an expectation of a reality, and what actually happens." For example, if you write a book that's meant to convert Christians to atheism, but instead scares them away and makes more people convert to Christianity...THAT's irony.

By what you say, almost ALL situational irony can be viewed as coincidence. Had the system been dubbed "The Phantom" in the midst or after its troubles getting to market, it would be coincidence. However, it was given the name beforehand, making it ironic that they picked a name that ultimately detailed its fate. And just for good measure, Engadget refers to the Phantom debacle as irony as well. The Dead End one, like I said, is often used as an example of cosmic irony with the car wreck sometimes changed for a graveyard.
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#29 deactivated-5901ac91d8e33
Member since 2004 • 17092 Posts
[QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"][QUOTE="jointed"][QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"] No....it just makes you too lazy to read all the responses in the thread. I answered your question and I'll do it again because I'm just so nice. [quote="neoyamaneko"]Case #1: Situational irony. They called it "The Phantom", a supernatural creature known for being immaterial, and the product never materialized on store shelves. Case #2 : Cosmic irony. Having a fatal wreck in a place where it can be used as a term for the end of your life.

No, those are just coincidences. Wiki: "There is some argument about what qualifies as ironic, but all senses of irony revolve around the perceived notion of an incongruity between what is said and what is meant; or between an understanding of reality, or an expectation of a reality, and what actually happens." For example, if you write a book that's meant to convert Christians to atheism, but instead scares them away and makes more people convert to Christianity...THAT's irony.

By what you say, almost ALL situational irony can be viewed as coincidence. Had the system been dubbed "The Phantom" in the midst or after its troubles getting to market, it would be coincidence. However, it was given the name beforehand, making it ironic that they picked a name that ultimately detailed its fate. And just for good measure, Engadget refers to the Phantom debacle as irony as well. The Dead End one, like I said, is often used as an example of cosmic irony with the car wreck sometimes changed for a graveyard.

I suggest you read and understand the quote I posted. There's no incongruity in your examples.
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#30 reznor420
Member since 2003 • 852 Posts

I just used the word 'irony' in a post just 5 minutes ago, then I saw this one... I thought it might have been jeered towards me but I don't think so :P

I hope I used it correctly, I don't like to use it at all because it does have such a complicated meaning.

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#31 sparkypants
Member since 2007 • 2609 Posts

This conversation always gives me headaches because Irony and coincidence usally go hand in hand. The biggest debate I had with a person was the question of if the song "Ironic" was in fact Ironic. I claimed that most of the incidence were coincedences and werent really ironic however:

Ironic defined by Merriam webster-

1: a pretense of ignorance and of willingness to learn from another assumed in order to make the other's false conceptions conspicuous by adroit questioning —called also Socratic irony2 a: the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaningb: a usually humorous or sardonic literary ****or form characterized by ironyc: an ironic expression or utterance3 a (1): incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result (2): an event or result marked by such incongruityb: incongruity between a situation developed in a drama and the accompanying words or actions that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play —called also dramatic irony tragic irony

thats what got me, because you wouldnt expect rain to fall on your wedding day(line from the song) and it is Ironic that the one time a man goes on the plane in years it crashes.

however this is just the song and doesnt cover the whole topic...yes I have heard it used incorrectlly and I had cases were ironic could be used but very loosly. I try to not use the word to offten unless its for a joke or a good laugh because I believe the term was only used to describe a situation in a play or story were the audience has an idea of whats going to happen but then something else happens. In fact I dont think the word was intended to be used outside of writing :?

owwww....my head

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#32 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts

[QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"][QUOTE="jointed"] No, those are just coincidences. Wiki: "There is some argument about what qualifies as ironic, but all senses of irony revolve around the perceived notion of an incongruity between what is said and what is meant; or between an understanding of reality, or an expectation of a reality, and what actually happens." For example, if you write a book that's meant to convert Christians to atheism, but instead scares them away and makes more people convert to Christianity...THAT's irony.jointed
By what you say, almost ALL situational irony can be viewed as coincidence. Had the system been dubbed "The Phantom" in the midst or after its troubles getting to market, it would be coincidence. However, it was given the name beforehand, making it ironic that they picked a name that ultimately detailed its fate. And just for good measure, Engadget refers to the Phantom debacle as irony as well. The Dead End one, like I said, is often used as an example of cosmic irony with the car wreck sometimes changed for a graveyard.

I suggest you read and understand the quote I posted. There's no incongruity in your examples.

And your wiki entry also gives many examples of irony afterwards that wouldn't fall under that rigid description. But then again, that's wiki for you.

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#33 sparkypants
Member since 2007 • 2609 Posts
[QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"] And your wiki entry also gives many examples that wouldn't fall under that definition. But then again, that's wiki for you.

well no those were ironic situations, the christian atheist one was dead on to what irony is
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#34 reznor420
Member since 2003 • 852 Posts

In fact I dont think the word was intended to be used outside of writing :?

sparkypants

I'd agree with you on that one for sure. The place where the term makes most sense is when it is refering to dramatic irony like you said.

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deactivated-5901ac91d8e33

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#35 deactivated-5901ac91d8e33
Member since 2004 • 17092 Posts

[QUOTE="jointed"][QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"] By what you say, almost ALL situational irony can be viewed as coincidence. Had the system been dubbed "The Phantom" in the midst or after its troubles getting to market, it would be coincidence. However, it was given the name beforehand, making it ironic that they picked a name that ultimately detailed its fate. And just for good measure, Engadget refers to the Phantom debacle as irony as well. The Dead End one, like I said, is often used as an example of cosmic irony with the car wreck sometimes changed for a graveyard.Neoyamaneko

I suggest you read and understand the quote I posted. There's no incongruity in your examples.

And your wiki entry also gives many examples of irony afterwards that wouldn't fall under that rigid description. But then again, that's wiki for you.

What examples are you talking about?

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Rigga911

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#36 Rigga911
Member since 2008 • 2429 Posts
TC doesnt even know what irony really is
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#37 soldier-dark
Member since 2005 • 5909 Posts
[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"]

Which case?Neoyamaneko


Both your examples.

Case #1: Situational irony. They called it "The Phantom", a supernatural creature known for being immaterial, and the product never materialized on store shelves.

Case #2 : Cosmic irony. Having a fatal wreck in a place where it can be used as a term for the end of your life.

I think you have the wrong definition of situational irony. It's when something happens that you don't expect to.
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#38 Neoyamaneko
Member since 2004 • 4207 Posts
[QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"]

[QUOTE="jointed"] I suggest you read and understand the quote I posted. There's no incongruity in your examples.jointed

And your wiki entry also gives many examples of irony afterwards that wouldn't fall under that rigid description. But then again, that's wiki for you.

What examples are you talking about?

The Gus Grissom, Dice Clay, Ibn al-Haytham, and Jim Fixx ones for starters. In fact, the al-Haytham example is similar to the Phantom example I gave.

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#39 deactivated-5901ac91d8e33
Member since 2004 • 17092 Posts
[QUOTE="jointed"][QUOTE="Neoyamaneko"]

And your wiki entry also gives many examples of irony afterwards that wouldn't fall under that rigid description. But then again, that's wiki for you.

Neoyamaneko

What examples are you talking about?

The Gus Grissom, Dice Clay, Ibn al-Haytham, and Jim Fixx ones for starters.

What? All of those are perfect examples.

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#40 Oleg_Huzwog
Member since 2007 • 21885 Posts

TC doesnt even know what irony really isRigga911

A lecture about the meaning of irony being delivered by someone who doesn't know the meaning of irony? Now that's irony.

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Rigga911

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#41 Rigga911
Member since 2008 • 2429 Posts

[QUOTE="Rigga911"]TC doesnt even know what irony really isOleg_Huzwog

A lecture about the meaning of irony being delivered by someone who doesn't know the meaning of irony? Now that's irony.

you got that right!
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#42 Dman0017
Member since 2007 • 4640 Posts

http://imagechan.com/img/images/irony.jpeg

couldn' help but laughingat this

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#43 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts

I've seen it used improperly quite often, but irony is hard to define. I don't blame the masses for their difficulty. *adjusts monocle*Elraptor

Yes *sips tea* I concur with this opinion on said masses, who, I am of the opinion, oftentimes know not of what they speak *sips tea*.

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#44 UnamedThing
Member since 2008 • 1761 Posts
Just look at my sig. ;)
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#45 dmc333
Member since 2002 • 766 Posts
Today I went into a victoria's secret store and asked for the men's section. And apparently men do not wear lingerie. Now that is just sexist.
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#46 AirGuitarist87
Member since 2006 • 9499 Posts
Almost never. It's usually confused with coincidence, like you said.
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#47 Brutal_Elitegs
Member since 2004 • 16426 Posts
how was the bioshock achievement not ironic?