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Mon 14 Mar, 2005 12:19 am
Here I am referring to the usage of the words "irony", "ironic" and "ironically". They are frequently used to described events which are coincidental or improbable, e.g. Ironically, both Bob and John gave her Cadbury chocolates for her birthday.
I feel that this is wrong, since irony is defined as an "incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs". What do you think about this?
Hi Qanda,
Hmmm... I can see how the Bob and John sentence could be ironic. Something like, "She had decided that whomever gave her the best gift was the one she would choose. Ironically, both Bob and John gave her Cadbury chocolates."
I think you're right that all by itself, without context, the Bob and John sentence isn't ironic, though.
Quote:coincidental or improbable
I would say that they should be coincidental
and improbable to be ironic.
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