Irony vs Coincidence

[R_of_G]

Why is it that the term ironic is so often used to describe something that is not ironic, but coincidental?

I have been watching a lot of sports this weekend (like any other) and at least four times I have heard four different announcers state that four different situations were ironic, when they were not. They were merely coincidental. For example, it was pointed out that one of the umpires in the final game at Shea Stadium is the son of a man who was one of the umpires in the first ever game at Shea Stadium. It's an interesting coincidence, but it is not at all ironic.

I don't even want to get started on the Alanis Morisette false definition of irony as that is another matter altogether, but as we all know, the only irony in that song is that none of her examples were ironic at all. Rain on your wedding day? Unless you are meteorologist and should have known better, that's not ironic. It's just a bummer.

 

[evenkeel]

Right On!!!

First time I heard "Isn't it Ironic" I was aggravated. What Irony??? The whole tune is about bad luck and coincidence.

Another sports announcer peeve. "That's as good as anybody in the league". Sports announcers love that line, or a similar version" and it just means the guy was average.

 

[R_of_G]

Another sports announcer peeve. "That's as good as anybody in the league". Sports announcers love that line, or a similar version" and it just means the guy was average.

True. I have heard that one many many times.

Comedian David Cross also does a bit about sports announcers and their common misuse of the word "literally" when they clearly mean "figuratively". For example, "he literally ripped his head off on that play." They use the word to mean the exact opposite of its actual definition.

 

[evenkeel]

True. I have heard that one many many times.

Comedian David Cross also does a bit about sports announcers and their common misuse of the word "literally" when they clearly mean "figuratively". For example, "he literally ripped his head off on that play." They use the word to mean the exact opposite of its actual definition.

Which is rather, ironic.

Sorry, could not help myself.

 

[just strum]

...For example, "he literally ripped his head off on that play." They use the word to mean the exact opposite of its actual definition.

Sorry R_of_G, but that one is correct.

 

[marnold]

Irony is lost on most of humanity.

My favorite (and by "favorite" I mean, "The one that would be most likely to prompt me to become an axe murderer") is the word "unique." Unique is a superlative. It means one-of-a kind. There is no other like it. At all. Sadly it is most commonly used as a comparative. The recent dictionary versions haven't helped because they have caved in to this usage.

 

[R_of_G]

Evenkeel - yes. that is the very definition of irony.

Strum - that photo is great! I stand corrected :rotflmao:

Marnold - agree completely. unique is another word I have heard misused all too frequently

 

[Glacies]

True. I have heard that one many many times.

Comedian David Cross also does a bit about sports announcers and their common misuse of the word "literally" when they clearly mean "figuratively". For example, "he literally ripped his head off on that play." They use the word to mean the exact opposite of its actual definition.

That bit had me crying laughing...

"Dude, I literally crapped my pants. No I didn't really crap my pants, I LITERALLY crapped them"

 

[just strum]

That bit had me crying laughing...

"Dude, I literally crapped my pants. No I didn't really crap my pants, I LITERALLY crapped them"

How IRONIC, so did I.

 

[R_of_G]

That bit had me crying laughing...

"Dude, I literally crapped my pants. No I didn't really crap my pants, I LITERALLY crapped them"

:rotflmao:

It's one of my favorite parts of that cd.

Perhaps the best line of the whole bit is when he says "it's not as if they meant to say 'ultimate' but said 'penultimate' and were only off by one."