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Old 12-May-2007, 18:52
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Question Use of the word Irony here?

I got confused how some words are used in different ways. For example: I know that Irony is; the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning:

But if I said; Irony of bad timing.

What doses it mean? In other words, what doses irony have to do with timing? I read this in a song writing book, and I’m not sure how to interpret it? The figure of speech is referring to a song tilted “Send in the clowns”.
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Old 12-May-2007, 21:54
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Default Re: Use of the word Irony here?

Hello Starstreams,

In popular usage, "irony" also denotes an incongruity or contrast or discrepancy between what happened, and what one might have expected to happen.

It's a little difficult to know what your example means, without the full context; but an "irony of bad timing" might refer to a piquant accidental contrast: without the "bad timing", the contrast might never have occurred.

All the best,

MrP
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