Comments on: Sardonic or Sarcastic? (And what about Ironic?) http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30 A Blog about Words and Language(s) from alphaDictionary.com Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:00:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.6 By: Frank http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-348231 Frank Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:23:35 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-348231 The real irony is that it was a helicopter and not an airplane. A helicopter could have landed instead of dropping the supplies. The real irony is that it was a helicopter and not an airplane. A helicopter could have landed instead of dropping the supplies.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-274704 Anonymous Mon, 11 Apr 2011 02:00:47 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-274704 My personal favorite example of irony is the following: A refugee is wandering in the desert, and has not eaten in days. On the brink of starvation, hope appears in the skies, in the form of a helicopter from a non-profit organization, which drops a crate full of food rations down from the hatch, suspended from a parachute. Suddenly, the cords attaching the parachute to the crate snap, allowing the heavy crate to fall rapidly to the ground. The crate, intended to save the lives of starving refugees, instead falls to the ground, landing directly on top of the refugee, ending his life. Because the crate would be expected to save his life, the irony is that it ends his life instead. My personal favorite example of irony is the following: A refugee is wandering in the desert, and has not eaten in days. On the brink of starvation, hope appears in the skies, in the form of a helicopter from a non-profit organization, which drops a crate full of food rations down from the hatch, suspended from a parachute. Suddenly, the cords attaching the parachute to the crate snap, allowing the heavy crate to fall rapidly to the ground. The crate, intended to save the lives of starving refugees, instead falls to the ground, landing directly on top of the refugee, ending his life. Because the crate would be expected to save his life, the irony is that it ends his life instead.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-272078 Jesse Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:22:00 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-272078 ...Or maybe not, I'm seeing a lot of inconsistency from other websites. …Or maybe not, I’m seeing a lot of inconsistency from other websites.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-272076 Jesse Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:18:52 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-272076 This article I believe actually has the definitions for sarcastic and sardonic backwards. Sarcasm is not necessarily with cruel intentions, but one who is sardonic, does. This article I believe actually has the definitions for sarcastic and sardonic backwards. Sarcasm is not necessarily with cruel intentions, but one who is sardonic, does.

]]> By: hughstimson.org » Blog Archive » Sarcastic/Sardonic http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-116569 hughstimson.org » Blog Archive » Sarcastic/Sardonic Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:49:33 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-116569 [...] There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement on this one. Though it seems to have to do with intent. And ironic apparently has 2 distinct meaning, one being closer to sardonic (or sarcastic I suppose), and one to do with juxtaposition. trackback [...] [...] There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement on this one. Though it seems to have to do with intent. And ironic apparently has 2 distinct meaning, one being closer to sardonic (or sarcastic I suppose), and one to do with juxtaposition. trackback [...]

]]> By: Phonebooker http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-110458 Phonebooker Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:46:41 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-110458 I feel like the example is ironic because exactly what you wouldn't expect is someone, whose career is to shuttle life into the world, to fall in love with someone who specializes in shuttling life out of this world. Your second example isn't irony; it's manslaughter. I feel like the example is ironic because exactly what you wouldn’t expect is someone, whose career is to shuttle life into the world, to fall in love with someone who specializes in shuttling life out of this world.

Your second example isn’t irony; it’s manslaughter.

]]> By: hdefined http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-80449 hdefined Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:52:17 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-80449 “I just love the irony of Lois, the daughter of an obstetrician, marrying Ferdie, whose father is a mortician!” That's not irony, that's coincidence. There is no expectation for the daughter of an obstretrician to marry someone other than the son of a mortician. It wouldn't even be ironic if an obstetrician and a mortician married each other - their jobs operate on opposite ends of the life span, but there's no context relating to expectations concerning their interaction. Irony is if a man in a restaurant is choking and the only person present who is capable of saving him is Jack Kevorkian. “I just love the irony of Lois, the daughter of an obstetrician, marrying Ferdie, whose father is a mortician!”

That’s not irony, that’s coincidence. There is no expectation for the daughter of an obstretrician to marry someone other than the son of a mortician. It wouldn’t even be ironic if an obstetrician and a mortician married each other – their jobs operate on opposite ends of the life span, but there’s no context relating to expectations concerning their interaction.

Irony is if a man in a restaurant is choking and the only person present who is capable of saving him is Jack Kevorkian.

]]> By: PanMarek http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30&cpage=1#comment-77636 PanMarek Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:30:45 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=30#comment-77636 I am interested in how the effect of sarcasm or sardonicism (?) is created. Both are derisive, but what is the procedure for being sarcastic? It seems to involve irony or some form of exaggeration. It also seems to involve a certain amount of complicity on the listener's part. One needs to be able to recognize sarcasm or a sardonic comment, otherwise the effect is lost. Am I on the right track here? Thanks, PanMarek I am interested in how the effect of sarcasm or sardonicism (?) is created. Both are derisive, but what is the procedure for being sarcastic?

It seems to involve irony or some form of exaggeration. It also seems to involve a certain amount of complicity on the listener’s part. One needs to be able to recognize sarcasm or a sardonic comment, otherwise the effect is lost.

Am I on the right track here?

Thanks,
PanMarek

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