irony
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irony
A type of communication in which you say the opposite of what you actually mean. This is often done to create a humorous or critical effect.
„Du bist ja ein echter Held“, sagte sie mit feiner Ironie, als er die Spinne an der Wand sah und schrie.
'You're a real hero,' she said with subtle irony when he saw the spider on the wall and screamed.
irony of fate
An unexpected and paradoxical coincidence in which the result mockingly contradicts what was expected or intended.
Es ist eine Ironie des Schicksals, dass die Feuerwache abgebrannt ist.
It is an irony of fate that the fire station burned down.
When you want to describe how someone says something ironically, you often use the preposition 'mit' (with). Typical phrases are 'etwas mit Ironie sagen' (to say something with irony) or 'mit einem Hauch von Ironie' (with a touch of irony).
„Das hast du ja super gemacht“, sagte er mit deutlicher Ironie in der Stimme.
'You did a great job there,' he said with clear irony in his voice.
The second meaning occurs almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'die Ironie des Schicksals' (the irony of fate). This describes a paradoxical or unexpected coincidence.
Es ist die reinste Ironie des Schicksals, dass der Erfinder des sichersten Schlosses seinen Schlüssel verlor.
It is the purest irony of fate that the inventor of the safest lock lost his key.
The adjective for 'die Ironie' (irony) is 'ironisch' (ironic). So you can say 'Das war Ironie' (That was irony) or 'Das war ironisch gemeint' (That was meant ironically).
Seine ironische Bemerkung verstand nicht jeder.
Not everyone understood his ironic remark.
sarcasm
Both words can describe a statement whose meaning differs from its literal words. Ironie can be harmless or humorous, whereas Sarkasmus additionally expresses biting and hurtful mockery. Ironie fits a joking tone; Sarkasmus is more appropriate when the effect is hurtful.
Mit Ironie sagte sie, der verspätete Zug sei heute besonders pünktlich.
Using irony, she said that the delayed train was especially punctual today.
Mit Sarkasmus sagte er dem verspäteten Kollegen, dieser sei heute besonders pünktlich.
Using sarcasm, he told the late colleague that they were especially punctual today.
