english help: Is “ironical” a word? - Help.com

i·ron·ic (-rnk) also i·ron·i·cal (-rn-kl)
adj.
1. Characterized by or constituting irony.
2. Given to the use of irony. See Synonyms at sarcastic.
3. Poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended: madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker.
i·roni·cal·ly adv.
i·roni·cal·ness n.
Usage Note: The words ironic, irony, and ironically are sometimes used of events and circumstances that might better be described as simply “coincidental” or “improbable,” in that they suggest no particular lessons about human vanity or folly. Thus 78 percent of the Usage Panel rejects the use of ironically in the sentence In 1969 Susie moved from Ithaca to California where she met her husband-to-be, who, ironically, also came from upstate New York. Some Panelists noted that this particular usage might be acceptable if Susie had in fact moved to California in order to find a husband, in which case the story could be taken as exemplifying the folly of supposing that we can know what fate has in store for us. By contrast, 73 percent accepted the sentence Ironically, even as the government was fulminating against American policy, American jeans and videocassettes were the hottest items in the stalls of the market, where the incongruity can be seen as an example of human inconsistency.

ilovechickenwee wrote:
no

yes

ilovechickenwee wrote:
no

yes

ilovechickenwee wrote:
no

yes

ilovechickenwee wrote:
no

maybe……..

sorry… I was being ironic(al)

Yes:-

ironical (adj.) characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is : “madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker”
ironical (adj.) humorously sarcastic or mocking : “dry humor”

OR

What littlenick said!

yes. but unless you have some Ph.D.. I highly discourage you using it.

Wasn’t sure if it sounded like a stupid question.

Yes, I understand the definition of it, that’s not what i mean.

I looked it up too but I couldn’t decide whether it was just a slang version of the word ironic because they’re pretty much the same, or if it was an American term?

I had a discussion about it today, apparently I’d said the word a while back and was being told I was WRONG and should use the word ironic ONLY. Just annoyed me. Why tell me several weeks later that I was wrong, which I’m still not sure I am wrong, or if I used the word at all…

Yes, it was totally used by the shrink in Good Will Hunting. That’s right, I only use credible sources!

I would never say ironical, only ironic. It sounds dumb.

“Some people tend to look at life in an ironical way”

littlenick wrote:
“Some people tend to look at life in an ironical way”

Ok, maybe in THAT instance I would. LOL

But you should say instead: “Some people tend to look at life in an ironic way”.

Ironic and ironical are pretty much the same word, the same tense, both adjectives. And a lot of people would say that the word ironical is not proper english.

Really confused.

I don’t think it is proper English, I also doubt that irregardless is proper English. (It actually bugs me when I hear people say it.)

Regard means to “look” in French, but means to think about.
I changed my plan bc I had regard for Sally’s disability.

Regardless means you don’t think about, bc of the less, meaning not.
Regarless of whether Sally can run for our soccer game, it is a sports party.

Ir in front of it also means not.
“Ir” and “less” in one word is a double negative, which in turn means that you have regard. Irregardless is not a word.
translates to: I’ll make sure that I don’t not think about Sally, which means that I will think about Sally.

Technically, yes.

Practically, no.

‘Ironical’ is a valid, English derivative of the word ‘ironic’. Further, the ‘al’ suffix is semantically correct.

It is slightly odd that an adjective would be the derivative of another adjective. The most common derivative path is from noun to adjective to adverb. A derivation of a second adjective from a prior adjective seems to be redundant and would indicate (but I do not know this) a word that has fallen out of usage. I’m not a professional, but I think that’s called linguistic drift; the perception that the word is illegitimate is making it so.

Given how often the word ‘irony’ is misused and the added confusion of using the derivative, I would avoid its use.