What are the different ironies?
There are primarily three types of irony: dramatic, situational, and verbal.
Is ironic a bad word?
And, unfortunately, it is sometimes used to simply emphasize something interesting. For example, Ironically, it was the best movie I’ve seen all year! We submit that ironic might be the most abused word in the English language.
Do people use ironic wrong?
“That is sooooo ironic.” This sentence is used frequently—and usually incorrectly—in American English. Often the word ironic is misused to remark on a coincidence, such as This is the third time today we’ve run into each other. We submit that ironic might be the most abused word in the English language.
What is the definition of “ironic”?
Interestingly, the definition of “ironic” in the OED is just: Pertaining to irony; uttering or given to irony; of the nature of or containing irony; = IRONICAL. and detailed definitions are given for “ironical.”
Is the word “ironical” more common in the United States of America?
These results support the feeling that “ironical” is less common than “ironic,” but they do not suggest that the word “ironical” is a feature of American English. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) does not state any regional preference of the word “ironic” or “ironical” (the links require subscription).
What is the regional preference of the word “ironic” in the OED?
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) does not state any regional preference of the word “ironic” or “ironical” (the links require subscription). Interestingly, the definition of “ironic” in the OED is just: Pertaining to irony; uttering or given to irony; of the nature of or containing irony; = IRONICAL.
Is the word ‘ironical’ too old-fashioned?
(That would loosely follow the pattern of “historical” and “historic.”) As a native speaker of English (born in the UK, raised in Hungary), I have never in my life used the word “ironical”. I’ve always felt it is too old-fashioned; meaning the same as “ironic”, but far more old-fashioned.