Irony

[stewey]

We all, at times, use the term "irony" or "ironic", and I'm not sure whether or not we, including myself, use it correctly. I would call the following situation ironic: some of you may know that recently I won $25,000 on a Heart and Stroke lottery; well, three days after I picked up the cheque my father-in-law had a stroke plus a fall which resulted in a subdural hemorrhage. Is this an example of irony? By the way, I don't intend this to be a sympathy thread.

[wolf63]

Black humour springs to mind.

[boxtops]

Oh dear - I see what you mean.

[stewey]

But the situation really does lack any modicum humour doesn't it?

[boxtops]

Indeed, it's quite tragic.

[snags]

Alanis might be able to help:

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm-1xvWibt0

[stewey]

One person I talked to called it an unfortunate coincidence.

[wolf63]

Maybe it is my twisted Scottish view of life.

How is F-I-L?

[tonyav]

stewey
Question Author
One person I talked to called it an unfortunate coincidence.


I'd go with that one, stewey.

[Neveracrossword]

One definition, in Chambers, of irony is 'a condition in which one seems to be mocked by fate or the facts.' Your experience seems a good example.

[jno]

coincidence maybe; these days "irony" often gets used for unfortunate coincidence. It doesn't have to be humorous, it's main meaning is usually saying the opposite of what you mean and trusting your audience to pick up on it.

[stewey]

He's not good, wolf63, thanks for asking; however, as I said, I don't want this to be a sympathy thread. As some of you have remarked there are lots of confusing interpretations of the word to be found.

[DJHawkes]

Maybe it was a higher being giving you a gentle nudge to give soime of it back stewey. Hope F-I-L is recovered enough to see the irony in the situation though.

[daftgrandad]

Hi stewey.
I would describe it as bitter irony.

[stewey]

I'm selfishly grateful, DJ, that the higher being decided to gently nudge him and leave me unmolested in order to spend the filthy lucre:)

[jno]

I'm trying to hack into the higher being's spreadsheets and see when your heart attack is due, but no luck so far. Anyone any idea what his password might be?

[stewey]

JNO, everyone is aware of the fact that the higher being peruses papyrus scrolls and not those pesky spread sheets.