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Line 4: − − − It is received wisdom in Britain that irony is not well understood in the U.S. <ref> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3433375.stm </ref> <ref> http://www.humor-and-laughing.com/50436.php</ref>. However the re-election of George W.Bush has convinced many in the U.K. that this is simply not true. <ref> Quote: Many sources for this, but see, for example: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/political_wrap/jan-june05/sb_5-6.html. "The irony is George Bush won reelection in November in spite of his economic record. Tony Blair probably won reelection because of his economic record. "</ref> − −
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The term is is commonly used in U.S. English to refer to a type of [[rhetoric]] whereby a statement or assertion is made with the intention to put across the opposite meaning. E.g. "Oh I ''really'' like your coat." In British English this is more commonly referred to as [[sarcasm]]. Whether a particular statement is construed as irony or sarcasm can often be a matter of opinion. The Sarcasm Society <ref> http://www.sarcasmsociety.com/howtorecognizeirony/</ref> offers the following distinction:
The term is is commonly used in U.S. English to refer to a type of [[rhetoric]] whereby a statement or assertion is made with the intention to put across the opposite meaning. E.g. "Oh I ''really'' like your coat." In British English this is more commonly referred to as [[sarcasm]]. Whether a particular statement is construed as irony or sarcasm can often be a matter of opinion. The Sarcasm Society <ref> http://www.sarcasmsociety.com/howtorecognizeirony/</ref> offers the following distinction:
:'''Sarcasm ''' can be illustrated by the speaker saying, "I appreciate your help.", when no help was provided to the speaker. However, when the speaker says speaker says, "It was a bit cold.", after losing a leg due to frost bite, this understatement can be construed as '''irony'''.
:'''Sarcasm ''' can be illustrated by the speaker saying, "I appreciate your help.", when no help was provided to the speaker. However, when the speaker says speaker says, "It was a bit cold.", after losing a leg due to frost bite, this understatement can be construed as '''irony'''.
It might be useful to distinguish three kinds of irony <ref> definition adapted from: http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/irony.html</ref>:
It might be useful to distinguish three kinds of irony <ref> definition adapted from: http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/irony.html</ref>: