Justine Larbalestier

reading, writing, eating, drinking, sport

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This is writ ironical

In the olden days, some newspapers got so fed up with folks going off in high dudgeon about certain articles which proposed, say, that the rich eat the poor, that they took to ending such pieces with the following line, This is writ ironical. (Think of it as ye olde smiley face.)

Which is to say that a tin ear for irony while depressingly widespread nowadays, alas, is not a new development. Long before the intramanets, certain early readers of Jane Austen did not notice her tongue placed firmly in her cheek.

I know I don’t need to say this to the esteemed and learned readers of this blog, but for newer readers please to imagine those words—This is writ ironical—at the end of most posts.

I.e. Margo Lanagan is not Satan she’s just a very naughty Aussie girl.

That is all.

Posted by Justine at 21:33, 23 September 2005 under Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Fans & readers, Ironical (This is Writ) | 10 Comments »

Comments

  1. El Says:

    Aw, shucks. I mean, really—having satan writing in the field would have been at the very least entertaining.

    Although just because Margo Lanagan isn’t satan doesn’t rule out some other SFF writer being satan….*

    *just in case–this too is writ ironical

    September 16th, 2006 at 8:18 AM

  2. margo Says:

    actually, i think you might be the naughty one in this case, justine, you shit-stirrer.:)

    i really like the idea of ‘this is writ ironical’ becoming common parlance on the internet, i’ve got to say.

    September 16th, 2006 at 9:21 AM

  3. chrisbarnes Says:

    margo – googling “writ ironical” gives 48,100 hits. so it may not be common parlance (alas) but it’s out there!

    September 16th, 2006 at 9:32 AM

  4. 4. Justine Says:

    Nuh uh, Margo. If I’m the one being naughty, how come you’re the one who’s in trouble?

    September 16th, 2006 at 11:08 AM

  5. A.R.Yngve Says:

    Something as witty and sophisticated as “This is writ ironical” goes over the heads of a lot of people (unfortunately).

    So I use a more unsubtle tag:
    “(*IRONY*)”

    September 16th, 2006 at 12:08 PM

  6. margo Says:

    chris (hi!): 48000 isn’t a lot for google. let’s campaign for more.

    Justine: i’m in trouble because you misrepresented me, obviously! :)

    a.r.: that’s probably sensible. because sometimes even a smiley face can be ambiguous…

    September 16th, 2006 at 4:39 PM

  7. Diana Says:

    I think i need “this is writ ironical” at the end of the first sentence of my new proposal. i’ve already gotten the pronouncement that it won’t pass the first sentence test…

    September 17th, 2006 at 1:01 PM

  8. Rebecca Says:

    Yeesh. I had no idea people would take your post so weird. Well, I got it. Does this mean I’m esteemed (In spite of my google/dictionary blunder)? :D :D

    September 18th, 2006 at 10:54 PM

  9. 9. Justine Says:

    Yes, Rebecca, you are mightily esteemed! I was afraid I’d chased you away. (This is not writ ironical!)

    September 18th, 2006 at 11:56 PM

  10. Rebecca Says:

    ha! you’ll have to try harder than that to chase me away!! :-D

    September 21st, 2006 at 10:16 PM

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