Hmm. There's this: Morissette once said herself that the biggest irony of "Ironic" is that there is no irony in the lyrics: "The irony of 'Ironic' is that it's not an ironic song at all."[citation needed]
However, you are right that it doesn't quite refute his contention -- I was looking at the larger entry and thought the more specific one would be more appropriate. Guess not. Here's the basis of my contention, from the entry on "Irony" in general and not that song: "The American Heritage Dictionaryâs usage panel found it unacceptable to use the word ironic to describe mere unfortunate coincidences or surprising disappointments that âsuggest no particular lessons about human vanity or folly.â This definition still allows the above usage but excludes examples like âIt's a traffic jam when you're already late â as made popular by Alanis Morissetteâs âIronic.â However, the American Heritage Dictionary recognizes a secondary meaning for irony: âincongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs.â In other words, ironic in this sense is synonymous with incongruous. The word incongruity is not in the active vocabulary for most speakers of the English language, irony being much more widespread among those wanting to be precise in their language." I'll grant you that this is a really fine hair that we're splitting. Dana >> not to wonk out on you, but no, actually. >> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironic_%28song%29 > >/me... fails to see how the wiki refutes G's claim that the plane >crash situation is ironic... > >it does say that many of the other situations are unfortunate >coincedences... but it doesn't specifically address that'n... > >-- >will > >"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true; >and that would just be unacceptable." >- Carrie Fisher ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:210552 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
