The definition of irony

[Osmium Steele]

Made in the USA: Chopsticks for China (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/44225741#44225741)

[Sailor Steve]

Hey, if those stingy Chinese would pay their workers a decent living wage this sort of thing wouldn't be necessary! :O:

Did anybody else notice the reporter's name was Tan Trung?

[Jimbuna]

Now that irony must be pretty scarce these days...I wish I could match it in a IK context.

Come on you Brits out there :)

[Platapus]

Actually no, that is not an example of Irony. One of my favourite peeves to be petted is the misuse of the word Irony.

There are three relational concepts that are often used incorrectly.

Irony
Coincidence
Hypocrisy

Are all related but are quite different from each other.

Irony occurs when a person makes a decision with the intention of causing (or preventing) outcome A, but because of factors unknown to him, his actions actually prevents (or causes) outcome A.

Coincidence occurs when two events with a some sort of connection between them occur without one causing the other.

Hypocrisy occurs when a person states a belief in A but in actuality believes the opposite of A.

There is a fourth concept called happenstance which is similar to a coincidence but without the connection between the two events.

For example.

I am giving a lecture on how to predict rain. I choose to hold this lecture outside. During my lecture, it rains. What has occured?

Coincidence - My lecture did not cause the rain, but the topic has a connection with the event (rain).

I am worried about my audience getting wet on so I move the lecture inside an auditorium. During my lecture a pipe over the auditorium breaks. Also it did not rain. What has occurred?

Irony. I specifically made the decision to move the lecture inside so my audience would not get wet. Unknown to me, at the time of the decision, the pipe was going to burst making my audience wet. If I had not made the decision, my audience would not have gotten wet.

I am holding the lecture outside telling people that according to my beliefs it won't rain. However, I telecast my lecture from inside a studio because I actually believe it will rain. What has occurred?

Hypocrisy. I told the audience I believed one thing (it is not going to rain) but I acted as if I believed it would rain.

In the context of the news story, we have the United States selling chopsticks to China. What has occurred?

Coincidence. Two events or observations have been made.

1. The United States is selling chop sticks to China
2. China is not normally perceived as an importer of chopsticks.

However, one did not cause or prevent the other.

No Irony, just a coincidence.

Probably more than you ever wanted to know. But my hobby is petting this particular peeve. :D

[Rockstar]

well I don't know about you but this quite ironic.

[August]

I find it most bodaciously ironical... :yep:

[Sailor Steve]

The queen of the Angles was ironic?


Wait, wut?

[Skybird]

The story is ironic indeed. At best an ironic parody. Or an ironic coincidence. But no matter how you see it, it alwaysincludes the element of irony due to the humorours nature of the element by which the expectation of the listener is led ad absurdum, contrary to what the listener'S mind would expect.

And Platapus managed to entangle himself inside academia's ivory tower. ;)

[Tchocky]

Platapus takes the time and trouble that most do not :D

[/English major]

[TLAM Strike]

I saw on local TV a year ago there is a farm in NYS that exports maple syrup to Canada! :haha:

[FIREWALL]

Actually no, that is not an example of Irony. One of my favourite peeves to be petted is the misuse of the word Irony.


Probably more than you ever wanted to know. But my hobby is petting this particular peeve. :D

As long as while your posting that's, the only thing your "Petting" :haha:

I find your Post very interesting. :yep:

[Sailor Steve]

Actually Platapus has a point. The thread is titled "The definition of irony", and according to the dictionary the proper definition is unrelated to this story.

[August]

Actually Platapus has a point. The thread is titled "The definition of irony", and according to the dictionary the proper definition is unrelated to this story.

I'm just here for the chance to use the word "bodaciously". :yep:

[Osmium Steele]

http://www.bing.com/search?q=definition+of+irony&form=MSNH14&qs=n&sk=&sc=8-19&adlt=strict

Irony

i·ro·ny [ ***63307;r***601;nee ] http://174.123.69.202/s/playbtn.png (http://174.123.69.202/caption/image/?bid=qv0%2bhA4PdNYUDg&bn=EDPG&FORM=DTPDIA)

humor based on opposites: humor based on using words to suggest the opposite of their literal meaning
something humorous based on contradiction: something said or written that uses humor based on words suggesting the opposite of their literal meaning
incongruity: incongruity between what actually happens and what might be expected to happen, especially when this disparity seems absurd or laughable


Synonyms: satire (http://174.123.69.202/Dictionary/search?q=define+satire&FORM=DTPDIA), sarcasm (http://174.123.69.202/Dictionary/search?q=define+sarcasm&FORM=DTPDIA), dryness, mockery (http://174.123.69.202/Dictionary/search?q=define+mockery&FORM=DTPDIA), causticness, wit (http://174.123.69.202/Dictionary/search?q=define+wit&FORM=DTPDIA), sardonicism, insincerity, humour, double meaning

See full definition (http://174.123.69.202/Dictionary/search?q=define+irony&FORM=DTPDIA) ·
Encarta World English Dictionary