One of the most misused words in the entire English language.
There are several types of irony.
Socratic irony - When someone pretends to be naive about a certain subject, and uses his questions about it to point out a flaw in the established belief. This is often used on the TV show South Park, where the children often ask questions about a situation until the folly in a parent's decision becomes clear.
Sarcasm - Understatement, mocking overstatement, or heavy-handed irony (stating the flat opposite of the truth) where both parties are aware of the difference between what's said and what's actually happening.
Situational Irony - The irony that most people think of. A difference between what you expect to happen (in a story, for example) and what actually happens. Rain on your wedding day would be a sort-of example, because a wedding day is generally expected to be a perfect, happy day. The good advice you didn't take, however, would NOT be irony, because that has nothing to do with what is expected and what isn't expected. A traffic jam when you're already late wouldn't be irony either; there's no automatic expectation that traffic will be fine, just because you happen to be late.
Irony of Fate - The concept that the Gods, Fates, etc. are toying with humans for amusement by using irony. Beethoven's loss of hearing is a famous example; one would expect a composer to be able to hear his compositions, but fate denied him that ability.
Tragic (Dramatic) Irony - When the audience knows something that some of the characters don't know in a play/movie/novel/whatever. For example, when the horror flick psycho is in the house and the homeowner just goes in without suspecting anything.
There are several types of irony.
Socratic irony - When someone pretends to be naive about a certain subject, and uses his questions about it to point out a flaw in the established belief. This is often used on the TV show South Park, where the children often ask questions about a situation until the folly in a parent's decision becomes clear.
Sarcasm - Understatement, mocking overstatement, or heavy-handed irony (stating the flat opposite of the truth) where both parties are aware of the difference between what's said and what's actually happening.
Situational Irony - The irony that most people think of. A difference between what you expect to happen (in a story, for example) and what actually happens. Rain on your wedding day would be a sort-of example, because a wedding day is generally expected to be a perfect, happy day. The good advice you didn't take, however, would NOT be irony, because that has nothing to do with what is expected and what isn't expected. A traffic jam when you're already late wouldn't be irony either; there's no automatic expectation that traffic will be fine, just because you happen to be late.
Irony of Fate - The concept that the Gods, Fates, etc. are toying with humans for amusement by using irony. Beethoven's loss of hearing is a famous example; one would expect a composer to be able to hear his compositions, but fate denied him that ability.
Tragic (Dramatic) Irony - When the audience knows something that some of the characters don't know in a play/movie/novel/whatever. For example, when the horror flick psycho is in the house and the homeowner just goes in without suspecting anything.
So, yeah, Alanis was wrong in a lot of her song, but there ARE some examples of irony in there - and a few that are kinda-sorta, but could be better. The old man who buys a lottery ticket is one; it would be a better example if he won, and then died of a heart attack from the shock of winning.
by progamer124 December 16, 2004
Neither liberal nor conservative. Contrary to popular belief, does NOT imply a political affiliation or lack thereof; someone with no political party is considered an Independent, but can still be very conservative or very liberal. A moderate is merely someone who isn't conservative enough to be on the right, and isn't liberal enough to be on the left. Another popular (and incorrect) belief is that moderates just can't make up their minds. That's as untrue as it gets; I am an independent moderate myself, and I have no trouble making up my mind. I'm just considered moderate because, for example, I am against both abortion AND capital punishment. The former is a conservative view, and the latter is a liberal view. Therefore I am moderate.
I'm moderate because I have beliefs that overlap liberalism and conservativism, NOT because I don't belong to a party, and NOT because I can't make up my mind! Go screw a tree you asses.
by progamer124 July 11, 2003
Reproduction joke. The "1+1" refers to two people having sex; the extra 1 represents a potential baby, making a total of 3 people.
by progamer124 January 04, 2005
Old cliche'd excuse for not having homework done. Generally means "I forgot," "I didn't do it," etc.
by progamer124 May 23, 2004
Nickname for one who is short in stature and tends to overcompensate for it - often through short temper, learning martial arts or other fighting skills, or attempting excessively difficult tasks. This is of course referring to Napoleon Bonaparte's conquest of Europe; Napoleon himself was very short, and there is an old inside joke among historians that his drive to conquer came from his lack of height.
Short dude: What are you lookin at? You wanna start something?
Tall dude: Whoa, Bonaparte, mellow out.
Tall dude: Whoa, Bonaparte, mellow out.
by progamer124 August 24, 2003
Small, froglike creatures seen in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Because of their unbelievable reproductive rate, gizka are often thought of as pests; as few as two gizka will easily fill a warehouse in a month's time, and are therefore almost impossible to get rid of. The most effective method is to use a poison designed specifically for them. The most common brand causes the gizka to attack each other, infecting the rest of the population through their attacks.
Gizka may be pests to most, but some enjoy them as pets - assuming, of course, that they only have one of them.
by progamer124 March 31, 2004
The term, "scene," is used in several ways.
1. Another word for "subculture" that doesn't sound quite so scientific, allowing it to be used in daily conversation. Used this way it usually has an adjective modifying it: the "indy scene" or the "hardcore scene" or the "emo scene." When someone refers to a particular "scene," they're talking about everything - the people, the places, the fashion, the music, and the trends.
2. A tongue-in-cheek reference to the trends and fashions of the various scenes. Many of these subcultures were built around countercultural ideals and nonconformist attitudes; the fact that trends even exist is humorous irony, and using "scene" as an adjective originally intended to lampoon that.
3. A trend of sorts that evolved from the indy, emo, and hardcore scenes (see the first definition); basically, anything that can be sold at Hot Topic. As events like Warped Tour - and artists like Avril Lavigne - became popular, the trends and fashions of these three scenes (and a few others) were gradually amalgamized and commericalized to create the generic "scene" monkier. Someone who is "scene" generally borrows from the various subcultures and combines them together - you can tell they're part of *a* scene, but no one is quite sure *what* scene. It is important to note that this use of "scene" refers to a fashion trend - it isn't a subculture in its own right, because it has no music, venues, or attitudes of its own to live on after it loses popularity.
4. An ironic insult toward followers of the "scene" trend outlined in 3. Calling someone "scene" brings up images of Avril Lavigne, Hot Topic, Good Charlotte, and, more recently, Myspace; it implies that he or she is a fair-weather fan, conforming to be popular or to fit in. In that sense, it is related to the term poseur. It also implies being more worried about the more visible icons of a particular scene (the fashion and language, for example) than the music that the scene is founded on. Calling someone a scenester basically means the same thing.
1. Another word for "subculture" that doesn't sound quite so scientific, allowing it to be used in daily conversation. Used this way it usually has an adjective modifying it: the "indy scene" or the "hardcore scene" or the "emo scene." When someone refers to a particular "scene," they're talking about everything - the people, the places, the fashion, the music, and the trends.
2. A tongue-in-cheek reference to the trends and fashions of the various scenes. Many of these subcultures were built around countercultural ideals and nonconformist attitudes; the fact that trends even exist is humorous irony, and using "scene" as an adjective originally intended to lampoon that.
3. A trend of sorts that evolved from the indy, emo, and hardcore scenes (see the first definition); basically, anything that can be sold at Hot Topic. As events like Warped Tour - and artists like Avril Lavigne - became popular, the trends and fashions of these three scenes (and a few others) were gradually amalgamized and commericalized to create the generic "scene" monkier. Someone who is "scene" generally borrows from the various subcultures and combines them together - you can tell they're part of *a* scene, but no one is quite sure *what* scene. It is important to note that this use of "scene" refers to a fashion trend - it isn't a subculture in its own right, because it has no music, venues, or attitudes of its own to live on after it loses popularity.
4. An ironic insult toward followers of the "scene" trend outlined in 3. Calling someone "scene" brings up images of Avril Lavigne, Hot Topic, Good Charlotte, and, more recently, Myspace; it implies that he or she is a fair-weather fan, conforming to be popular or to fit in. In that sense, it is related to the term poseur. It also implies being more worried about the more visible icons of a particular scene (the fashion and language, for example) than the music that the scene is founded on. Calling someone a scenester basically means the same thing.
1. Atreyu is a relative newcomer to the hardcore scene, but is developing a rabid cult fanbase.
2. Wow... a Thundercats shirt, crotch-hugging faded jeans, and a devilock... how very scene of you. Not to mention your ratty Converse shoes or your Know Your Mushrooms armband.
3. Be more scene. Shop at Hot Topic.
4. Enjoy being scene while it lasts, because Myspace isn't enough to keep it going once the next fad hits.
2. Wow... a Thundercats shirt, crotch-hugging faded jeans, and a devilock... how very scene of you. Not to mention your ratty Converse shoes or your Know Your Mushrooms armband.
3. Be more scene. Shop at Hot Topic.
4. Enjoy being scene while it lasts, because Myspace isn't enough to keep it going once the next fad hits.
by progamer124 August 06, 2005