George Bush is the most intelligent and popular world leader EVER? What does this sentence mean???

Question

OK..I GOT YOUR ATTENTION :-))))


I am blessed (or cursed!!) with a sarcastic frame of mind :-(( And sometimes that seeps into my questions too! And I have noticed many people here don't seem to understand when someone is been sarcastic...or ironic....


So I want to ask...

Do you understand Sarcasm and Irony? How would you define it??

Are these phenomenas cultural..or depending on an expertise in the language??

I personally wouldn't say it is cultural...despite..it being a British myth 'that Americans don't understand irony' Because I have seen many Americans you understand irony..Whilst at the same time I have come across many Brits who don't....


What do you think??? Can you explain why some people like and understand irony..and others don't

Is Irony..a good or a bad thing?? (Should I refrain from using it because not everybody understands it??)

Answer 1

First, I can't recognize the sentence in the title question... it doesn't make sense in any language I know of... from what I can tell, it's complete gibberish... Did your cat happen to run across your keyboard?

Secondly, I think the ability to understand irony and sarcasm is a function of intelligence. Also, there is a difference between understanding irony and sarcasm and appreciating irony and sarcasm. Appreciating it is a function of a person's sense of humor, which I think is at least a little culturally based. As an American, I can assure you that many of us do appreciate irony and sarcasm; and as an American who has lived in Texas, California, and New York, I can tell you that I have been much freer to express my sarcastic self since I moved to New York.

The problem is that so many people misuse sarcasm and irony because they really don't know what they are. Well timed and well crafted irony is, in my opinion, the most beautiful thing in any language. So you should feel free to use irony and sarcasm as long as they're a part of an intelligent joke or observation, given that you execute them properly (so... not just as a snide comment, which I've found is how most people are sarcastic, and that's just no fun at all).

As far as these things being part of a language issue, I speak Spanish, and I've been able to be successfully sarcastic and ironic in Spanish. I haven't tried in any other language that I speak because I'm most fluent in Spanish (after English), and I'm not as advanced in the others. And since I already sound like a small, slightly retarded child when I speak the others (and sometimes in Spanish and English as well), I'd rather not fail horribly in making a joke on top of it all. At least with sarcasm, a lot of it has to do with the tone of voice. So, the speaker has to feel comfortable enough speaking the language to be able to manipulate their tone appropriately, and that definitely requires a certain amount of expertise.

Oh, and also (last thing, I promise), it's much harder to be successfully ironic and sarcastic online, or in writing generally. When you can't impose a tone on your words in writing, it's much easier for people to miss the humor. I think that's why Oscar Wilde is so popular; it's really difficult to write in an ironic or sarcastic tone, and yet his tone is always unmistakeable. Unless you're dumb.

Answer 2

Yes, I know what it is. I am, however, too lazy to define it. (And too busy rubbing the blood out of my eyes from the punctuation abuse you have going. Only one question/exclamation mark is needed!)

Not all people can grasp irony. Not all people can spell irony. Most people don't know what it means and cannot point out an ironic sentence in a book about irony if they tried and were being paid to do so.

However, it's hard to say that people "don't get" sarcasm here because some sarcasm is a bit hard to get fully across without the use of italics/a speaking tone.
Which is why this site should really allow because I feel so lost without my italic tones...

Answer 3

Oh - I´m very very sarcastic and even more ironic. I think these are very similar - but nevertheless different things. "sarcastic" is a bit more in a "bad" way - it could be that you insult someone else. "ironic" is more funny.

I´m sarcastic and ironic, I know people who are and people who aren´t. I think it has neither to do with language skills nor with intelligence nor with nation ...

It´s a "talent", some are gifted, some aren´t.
E.g. some people play soccer like Ronaldinho - and some play like (I don´t say a name - I don´t want to insult someone ...)

UNDERSTANDING irony and sarcasm is a different thing: This is of course a matter of language skills, of language talent in general (even in the mother tongue).

Answer 4

If you need a definition of what isn't irony - the Alanis Morrissette song "Ironic" is perfect.

An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn't it ironic ... don't you think

NO IT IS NOT - IT IS JUST BAD LUCK

however it is ironic that she wrote a song called Ironic completely devoid of Irony.

Answer 5

My dear: Here in the U.S., where most of us are, how shall I say, wealthy, "irony" is totally obsolete. It disappeared some years back, along with "washery." However, I am surprised you ask since I did espy a dry-cleaning establishment on my last visit to Kensington.

Answer 6

Oh yea, you should DEFINATELY let down the sarcasim....

of course you shouldn't stop! it's what makes you who you are and you shouldn't stop just because some people don't understand.

i think to understand iorny, you have to grow up with it. otherwise it seems forien to you. weather u heard it from your parents, your uncle, or really anybody you saw periodically when you were little most likely was as sarcastic and ironic as you. some people just don't grow up with that sence of funny, and don't understand the point.

Answer 7

I would venture to say that your original 'Bush' question contains a number of oxymorons.
Bush---intelligent--and popular should never appear in the same sentence.
Bush has the intelligence and personality of a paperclip.

Answer 8

irony is so----ironic.