6 uses
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1 —2 uses as in:
situational irony
Definition
when what happens is very different than what might be expected; or when things are together that seem like they don't belong together — especially when amusing or an entertaining coincidence
- Then came President Bush, a scion of the East Coast establishment, ironically using a folksy Texas version of talkin' country as part of his political persona and winning in states far beyond the South.four — This Ain't Your Mama's South Anymore (93% in)
ironically = in a manner indicating that what happened was very different than what might have been expected
- It is ironic that many Americans who had found prestige in sounding more English began dropping it when admiration for Britain was at its absolute zenith, just after the joint Allied victor;/ in World War II.three — Toward a Standard: Putting the "R" in "American" (17% in)
ironic = when what happens is very different than what might be expected; or when things are together that seem like they don't belong together
There are no more uses of "irony" flagged with this meaning in Do You Speak American?.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
? —4 uses
exact meaning not specified
- Ironically, the school was named after Martin Luther King, Jr. Annie Blair, one of the mothers, had moved north from Tennessee.six — Bad-mouthing Black English (49% in)
- Ironically, given today's linguistic anxieties, in the same editorial the Times suggested that, if a second language was needed at all, Spanish would be more useful for business.five — Hispanic Immigration: Reconquest or Assimilation? (25% in)
- Baldwin had some ironic observations on how white Americans considered it hip or hep to pick up black expressions: Now, I do not know what white Americans would sound like if there had never been any black people in the United States, but they would not sound the way they sound.six — Bad-mouthing Black English (42% in)
- Ironic flashes of culture were granted these girls, who never seemed to read or know anything but about clothes in the world of contempo-casual; hence the ultimate put-down, She's a full-on Monet, looks good from a distance but a mess close up.seven — Language from a State of Change (23% in)
There are no more uses of "irony" in Do You Speak American?.
Typical Usage
(best examples)