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    Irony Definition

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    Malik Faraz
    This document defines and provides examples of irony, oxymoron, and paradox. It states that irony involves a difference between the intended and actual meaning of words or an unexpected situation. There are two types of irony: verbal irony which uses words not literally meant, and situational irony involving unexpected outcomes. Oxymoron combines contradictory words for effect, like "cruel kindness", while paradox seems contradictory but contains implied truth. Examples of each are given from literature and everyday speech.

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    Irony Definition

    Uploaded by

    Malik Faraz
    262 views4 pages
    This document defines and provides examples of irony, oxymoron, and paradox. It states that irony involves a difference between the intended and actual meaning of words or an unexpected situation. There are two types of irony: verbal irony which uses words not literally meant, and situational irony involving unexpected outcomes. Oxymoron combines contradictory words for effect, like "cruel kindness", while paradox seems contradictory but contains implied truth. Examples of each are given from literature and everyday speech.

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    This document defines and provides examples of irony, oxymoron, and paradox. It states that irony involves a difference between the intended and actual meaning of words or an unexpected situation. There are two types of irony: verbal irony which uses words not literally meant, and situational irony involving unexpected outcomes. Oxymoron combines contradictory words for effect, like "cruel kindness", while paradox seems contradictory but contains implied truth. Examples of each are given from literature and everyday speech.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    262 views4 pages

    Irony Definition

    Uploaded by

    Malik Faraz
    This document defines and provides examples of irony, oxymoron, and paradox. It states that irony involves a difference between the intended and actual meaning of words or an unexpected situation. There are two types of irony: verbal irony which uses words not literally meant, and situational irony involving unexpected outcomes. Oxymoron combines contradictory words for effect, like "cruel kindness", while paradox seems contradictory but contains implied truth. Examples of each are given from literature and everyday speech.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Irony Definition

    Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their
    intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It may
    also be a situation that may end up in quite a different way than what is
    generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a difference between the
    appearance and the reality.

    Types of Irony
    On the grounds of the above definition, we distinguish two basic kinds of irony
    i.e. verbal irony and situational irony. A verbal irony involves what one does
    not mean. When in response to a foolish idea, we say, what a great idea! it is
    a verbal irony. A situational irony occurs when, for instance, a man is chuckling
    at the misfortune of the other even when the same misfortune, in complete
    unawareness, is befalling him.

    Common Examples of Irony


    Let us analyze some interesting examples of irony from our daily life:
    I posted a video on YouTube about how boring and useless YouTube is.
    The name of Britains biggest dog was Tiny.
    You laugh at a person who slipped stepping on a banana peel and the
    next thing you know, you slipped too.
    The butter is as soft as a marble piece.
    Oh great! Now you have broken my new camera.

    Oxymoron Definition
    Oxymoron, plural oxymora, is a figure of speech in which two opposite
    ideas are joined to create an effect. The common oxymoron phrase is a
    combination of an adjective proceeded by a noun with contrasting
    meanings e.g. cruel kindness or living death. However, the
    contrasting words/phrases are not always glued together. The
    contrasting ideas may be spaced out in a sentence e.g. In order to
    lead, you must walk behind.
    Difference between Oxymoron and Paradox

    It is important to understand the difference between a paradox and an


    oxymoron. A paradox may consist of a sentence or even a group of
    sentences. An oxymoron, on the other hand, is a combination of two
    contradictory or opposite words. A paradox seems contradictory to the general
    truth but it does contain an implied truth. An oxymoron, however, may produce
    a dramatic effect but does not make sense. Examples of oxymoron are found
    both in casual conversations and in literature.
    Common Examples of Oxymoron

    Open secret
    Tragic comedy
    Seriously funny
    Awfully pretty
    Foolish wisdom
    Original copies

    Liquid gas
    The above oxymoron examples produce a comical effect. Thus, it is a lot of
    fun to use them in your everyday speech.
    Oxymoron Examples in Literature
    Example #1

    Below is an extract from the play Romeo and Juliet, Act I, Scene I, written by
    William Shakespeare.
    Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!
    O anything, of nothing first create!
    O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!
    Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
    Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
    Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
    This love feel I, that feel no love in this.
    Dost thou not laugh?
    We notice a series of oxymoron being employed when Romeo confronts the
    love of an inaccessible woman. An intense emotional effect is produced to
    highlight his mental conflict by the use of contradictory pairs of words such as
    hating love, heavy lightness, bright smoke, cold fire, and sick health.

    Paradox Definition

    The term Paradox is from the Greek word paradoxon that means contrary to
    expectations, existing belief or perceived opinion. It is a statement that
    appears to be self-contradictory or silly but may include a latent truth. It is also
    used to illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accepted traditional
    ideas. A paradox is often used to make a reader think over an idea in
    innovative way.

    Examples of Paradox
    Your enemys friend is your enemy.
    I am nobody.
    What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young. George
    Bernard Shaw
    Wise fool
    Truth is honey which is bitter.
    I can resist anything but temptation. Oscar Wilde
    From the above examples of paradox, we can say that paradox creates a
    humorous effect on the readers because of its ridiculousness.

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