PARADOX and IRONY , difference of meaning?

Question

I know these are not synonyms,
But my nephew asked the difference of the meaning of these two words,
it was not easy for me to explain clearly.
Can you do it with fine examples? Please.

Answer 1

A paradox (Gk: παράδοξος, "aside belief") is an apparently true statement or group of statements that leads to a contradiction or a situation which defies intuition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox

Irony, from the Greek ειρων (self-deprecator), is a literary or rhetorical device in which there is a gap or incongruity between what a speaker or a writer says, and what is generally understood (either at the time, or in the later context of history). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony

The main different is that a paradox is a statement vs irony being a literary/rhetorical device.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 2

A paradox is simply two propositions that cannot both be true at the same time.

My favorite example of a paradox is the "time travel" paradox where a traveller goes back in time, and accidentally kills his grandfather. If he kills his grandfather, then he cannot even exist, and therefore cannot kill grandpa... (again one or the other could logically not have happened.)

Irony has several possible definitions. The two most used by average people include...

A difference in an expected outcome to a series of events and the outcome that really happens. (don't ask me for an example--I'm not that creative...)

In a dramatic work, the difference in the things the characters know and what the audience does. (As in a tragedy when the audience knows the protagonist thinks he is going to win the battle and become king, when in fact, we know he has been betrayed.)

This sitcom "Newsradio" did a hilarious episode with a subplot involving these terms and their misuse.

Answer 3

A paradox is self-contradictory. Irony is something that seems not to fit, but does because of a dark sense of humor.

The classic paradox is Zeno's: If you go halfway to your goal, then halfway again, then halfway again, you will never reach your goal. Now, in practical terms, it's not true: you get to where "half-way" is simply too small a movement to detect, and you are effectively at your goal. But if you do it mathematically, you will never actually touch the wall at which you were aiming, though you may get close enough to feel the buildup of air between you and the wall.

An irony, on the other hand, is something that sounds the opposite of what you really mean, said because it can be understood to be false, to be ironic. You come home covered in dirt, clothes torn, a few patches of skin scraped raw, and say "Oh, yes, I've had a lovely day."

Answer 4

Paradox Synonym

Answer 5

A paradox is an apparently true statement or group of statements that leads to a contradiction or a situation which defies intuition.
For example
Curry's paradox: "If this sentence is true, the world will end in a week."

Irony is the use of words to imply mild sarcasm.
My own true example is:
My Dad got a letter from his bank which he had to pay extra postage on (£1) We didn't know what it was, so I asked him if he had got it yet. He said it was a letter from his bank, so I asked if it said you have £1 in your account.

Not a joke or anything, but the idea is that it would be ironic if he had to pay £1 on a letter from his bank stating that he only had £1 in his account.

Hope this helps

Answer 6

Irony is something that may arise from a discordance between acts and results, especially if it is striking, humerous in and of itself, but makes no sense, like supermodels opening a restaurant in New York City. I mean, what do supermodels know about eating food?

A paradox is more mentally challenging (Gk: παράδοξος, "aside belief") and is an apparently true statement or group of statements that leads to a contradiction or a situation which defies intuition. "This statement is false"

Answer 7

The fact that if you stand still for 20 minutes is more tirening than walking for 20 minutes is paradoxical. A statement that contradicts itself is a paradox. Think of some good deed you do, or a mean kid who one day decides to clean up his room on his own, mom will thank him for it then ask him what's he up for, bad if he does it, bad if he doesn't.
Irony is a form of expression in which an implicit meaning is concealed or contradicted by the explicit meaning of the expression. A man asks his wife if she’s feeling okay while she’s giving birth, and, though she’s obviously in pain, she bites out, “Just fantastic, thanks”.

Answer 8

IRONY:
an irony is when you say one thing, but mean another.
Example: "Well! I like that!" when someone does something you think they have an audacity to do.
You don't really like it at all.

PARADOX: Something that seems both true & false.
Example: "As the child grows bigger the ant grows smaller."
"Without you, I have nothing."
These are both true in a sense, but also untrue.

Answer 9

paradox is a linguistic and stylistic technique may lead or result in an irony, so, paradox could be a cause and irony a result.

Answer 10

Paradox is a statement that seems to contradict itself but which contains a truth
irony is saying the opposite of what you mean in order to emphasise it. e.g. saying 'what a lovely day', when it is raining.
VR