| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
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| IRONY (n.) |
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| is specifically the use of language to mean something quite opposite from what the words literally say. Irony is usually either sardonic or humorous in intent: She looked out at the rain and fog and said, “What a lovely day for a picnic!” Things ironic are not what they at first appear. Irony can be a two-edged sword: if your hearers or readers miss or misinterpret it, you’re worse off than if you’d never tried it. Compare BURLESQUE; SATIRE. See also BLACK HUMOR; SICK HUMOR. | 1 |
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| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
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