'Ironic' statements, and other such nonsense.
I thought I might begin this journal with a little verbal organization. Though I may have been born in America my sense of propriety and appreciation for the English language is of near-obsessive quality. I adore words, clarity, enunciation and grammar.
As such I’ve taken it upon myself to casually bring awareness to certain word misuse and so forth, perhaps enlightening this country a little more through the use of this social assemblage.
Mind you this is not all my journal will be used for, it will also simply be an aperture for my thoughts and feelings, as well as fan bases and the like, and some advisory writings for etiquette and writing, at which I am profoundly adept.
Anyone who requires assistance in bettering themselves whether by writing improvements or social ones should feel free to comment here even if the question is completely unrelated to the entry that’s been read. I’m also available for proofreading and critique.
All of that aside, for today I’d like to draw attention to the common misuse of the word ‘ironic’.
Irony (from the Ancient Greece meaning hypocrisy, deception, or feigned ignorance) is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity or discordance between what one says or does and what one means or what is generally understood. In short, something meaning other than it’s literal intention.
There are three types of irony:
Verbal Irony - Disparity of expression and intention: when a speaker says one thing but means another, or when a literal meaning is contrary to its intended effect. An example of this is sarcasam.
Dramatic Irony - Disparity of expression and awareness: when words and actions possess a significance that the listener or audience understands, but the speaker or character does not.
Situational Irony - Disparity of intention and result: when the result of an action is contrary to the desired or expected effect. Likewise, cosmic irony is disparity between human desires and the harsh realities of the outside world (or the whims of the gods). By some definitions, situational irony and cosmic irony are not irony at all.
I believe honestly that one of the main causes for the misunderstanding and therefore misuse of this word is due to the Alanis Morrisette song of ages past ‘Isn’t it Ironic’. In truth there isn’t one ironic statement in that song. However, as we all are aware things from our youth, especially music we hear or movies we watch, often teach us about the world as we know it. In this case, all Alanis has proved is that she can teach an entire generation of people to completely damage their own language and render a word more ‘slang’ than it’s original noble intention.
In short next time you reach for that word to describe your situation, try to think, is it really ironic?