does "ironic" really mean "coincidental"?
Not in my book. Here's what Gurunet has:
i·ron·ic (î-rŏn'ĭk) also i·ron·i·cal (î-rŏn'ĭ-kəl).
adj.
Characterized by or constituting irony.
Given to the use of irony. See Synonyms at sarcastic.
Poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended: madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker.
i·ron'i·cal·ly adv.
i·ron'i·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 (though 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.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1992, 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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ironic adjective
Marked by or displaying contemptuous mockery of the motives or virtues of others : cynic, cynical, ironical, sardonic, wry.
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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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ironic - Related Internet Keywords:
MP3 Ironic Twist - The Website of Internet Keyword MP3 Ironic Twist
MP3.com ironic daze - The Website of Internet Keyword MP3 ironic daze
MP3.com Ironic Twist - The Website of Internet Keyword MP3 Ironic Twist
MP3 ironic daze - The Website of Internet Keyword MP3 ironic daze
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