The use of the word "Ironic" in topics

[PDL]

I've seen this word used far too much in certain sections. Could you guys, you know... cut down on it's use? I think it may be becoming a filler word.

 

[Lilac Hill]

I've not seen it at all.

:-|

 

[MondoTR]

I can think of words worse than ironic that should be used less (or not at all).

Also, you mention topics and sections. Is this thread about the forums or the pedia?

 

[MAGNEDETH]

can you link us to some examples?

 

[Martonimos]

This is one I got rid of on my own. I agree with PDL, that a lot of people just use "ironic" because they think it makes them sound smart, even in situations that aren't ironic at all. I've removed most of the erroneous cases of "ironic" that I've spotted, which may explain why you don't know about them.

This list (page contains words that may offend some) is about an unrelated topic, but it includes a fairly good definition of irony, as well of examples of situations that are and aren't ironic.

 

[Lilac Hill]

From that website you posted:

Irony deals with opposites; it has nothing to do with coincidence.

If two baseball players from the same hometown, on different teams, receive the same uniform number, it is not ironic. It is a coincidence. If Barry Bonds attains lifetime statistics identical to his fathers it will not be ironic. It will be a coincidence.

Irony is "a state of affairs that is the reverse of what was to be expected; a result opposite to and in mockery of the appropriate result." For instance: a diabetic, on his way to buy insulin, is killed by a runaway truck. He is the victim of an accident. If the truck was delivering sugar, he is the victim of an oddly poetic coincidence. But if the truck was delivering insulin, ah! Then he is the victim of an irony.

If a Kurd, after surviving bloody battle with Saddam Hussein’s army and a long, difficult escape through the mountains, is crushed and killed by a parachute drop of humanitarian aid, that, my friend, is irony writ large.

Darryl Stingley, the pro football player, was paralyzed after a brutal hit by Jack Tatum. Now Darryl Stingley’s son plays football, and if the son should become paralyzed while playing, it will not be ironic. It will be coincidental. If Darryl Stingley’s son paralyzes someone else, that will be closer to ironic. If he paralyzes Jack Tatum’s son that will be precisely ironic.

 

[DashingFox]

Well said Matthew Lloyd.

 

[Martonimos]

Yes, thank you. Sorry for not digging that out myself.