What is the exact meaning of the “oh so ” idiom?












5














I routinely find this expression in newspaper, magazines, blogs... My guess is that it's used to report a widely shared opinion, but I couldn't find any confirmation of this. Or maybe it's just used to emphasize the adjective? I'm afraid I might be missing a subtelty here.



Here are a few examples from the first page of googling "oh so *":




  • Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler

  • Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match

  • The movie-star-handsome [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance

  • Robert Pattinson Oh So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'

  • An Oh-So-British Affair Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm

  • LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game

  • Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to Vancouver











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  • 1




    Can you give some more context? I'm having trouble thinking of examples of this pattern.
    – Mitch
    May 22 '11 at 3:05






  • 3




    Well, as I said, I find it routinely; downvoting just because of this seems quite a bit harsh.
    – UncleZeiv
    May 22 '11 at 3:41










  • maybe it's just a kind of slang use of the word to make it easier to reflect a more real just regular and casual way that people talk?
    – user57693
    Nov 19 '13 at 10:47


















5














I routinely find this expression in newspaper, magazines, blogs... My guess is that it's used to report a widely shared opinion, but I couldn't find any confirmation of this. Or maybe it's just used to emphasize the adjective? I'm afraid I might be missing a subtelty here.



Here are a few examples from the first page of googling "oh so *":




  • Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler

  • Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match

  • The movie-star-handsome [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance

  • Robert Pattinson Oh So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'

  • An Oh-So-British Affair Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm

  • LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game

  • Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to Vancouver











share|improve this question




















  • 1




    Can you give some more context? I'm having trouble thinking of examples of this pattern.
    – Mitch
    May 22 '11 at 3:05






  • 3




    Well, as I said, I find it routinely; downvoting just because of this seems quite a bit harsh.
    – UncleZeiv
    May 22 '11 at 3:41










  • maybe it's just a kind of slang use of the word to make it easier to reflect a more real just regular and casual way that people talk?
    – user57693
    Nov 19 '13 at 10:47
















5












5








5


2





I routinely find this expression in newspaper, magazines, blogs... My guess is that it's used to report a widely shared opinion, but I couldn't find any confirmation of this. Or maybe it's just used to emphasize the adjective? I'm afraid I might be missing a subtelty here.



Here are a few examples from the first page of googling "oh so *":




  • Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler

  • Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match

  • The movie-star-handsome [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance

  • Robert Pattinson Oh So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'

  • An Oh-So-British Affair Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm

  • LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game

  • Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to Vancouver











share|improve this question















I routinely find this expression in newspaper, magazines, blogs... My guess is that it's used to report a widely shared opinion, but I couldn't find any confirmation of this. Or maybe it's just used to emphasize the adjective? I'm afraid I might be missing a subtelty here.



Here are a few examples from the first page of googling "oh so *":




  • Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler

  • Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match

  • The movie-star-handsome [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance

  • Robert Pattinson Oh So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'

  • An Oh-So-British Affair Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm

  • LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game

  • Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to Vancouver








meaning idioms






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edited May 22 '11 at 3:48

























asked May 22 '11 at 2:58









UncleZeiv

2933412




2933412








  • 1




    Can you give some more context? I'm having trouble thinking of examples of this pattern.
    – Mitch
    May 22 '11 at 3:05






  • 3




    Well, as I said, I find it routinely; downvoting just because of this seems quite a bit harsh.
    – UncleZeiv
    May 22 '11 at 3:41










  • maybe it's just a kind of slang use of the word to make it easier to reflect a more real just regular and casual way that people talk?
    – user57693
    Nov 19 '13 at 10:47
















  • 1




    Can you give some more context? I'm having trouble thinking of examples of this pattern.
    – Mitch
    May 22 '11 at 3:05






  • 3




    Well, as I said, I find it routinely; downvoting just because of this seems quite a bit harsh.
    – UncleZeiv
    May 22 '11 at 3:41










  • maybe it's just a kind of slang use of the word to make it easier to reflect a more real just regular and casual way that people talk?
    – user57693
    Nov 19 '13 at 10:47










1




1




Can you give some more context? I'm having trouble thinking of examples of this pattern.
– Mitch
May 22 '11 at 3:05




Can you give some more context? I'm having trouble thinking of examples of this pattern.
– Mitch
May 22 '11 at 3:05




3




3




Well, as I said, I find it routinely; downvoting just because of this seems quite a bit harsh.
– UncleZeiv
May 22 '11 at 3:41




Well, as I said, I find it routinely; downvoting just because of this seems quite a bit harsh.
– UncleZeiv
May 22 '11 at 3:41












maybe it's just a kind of slang use of the word to make it easier to reflect a more real just regular and casual way that people talk?
– user57693
Nov 19 '13 at 10:47






maybe it's just a kind of slang use of the word to make it easier to reflect a more real just regular and casual way that people talk?
– user57693
Nov 19 '13 at 10:47












6 Answers
6






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oldest

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6














"Oh-so" means "very", but with the implication of certain emotion. The "oh" caries similar meaning to a sigh. It can imply sarcasm, relief, frustration, etc.






share|improve this answer

















  • 2




    So it's context dependent, isn't it? And sarcasm seems to be its most prominent use.
    – UncleZeiv
    May 23 '11 at 22:40










  • Yes indeed, exactly as you said.
    – KumaAra
    Nov 28 '17 at 7:16










  • @UncleZeiv no, sarcasm isn't "its most prominent use". See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
    – Chappo
    Dec 22 at 0:25



















3














I believe it means "very" or "extremely". It is used to modify an adjective or adverb.




"Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler"




Becomes




"Paul Ryan's very clever jab."




Another example




"LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game"



"LaPorta made an extremely costly error in the game"







share|improve this answer

















  • 5




    Possibly because it's a somewhat 'quirky' idiom in the first place, oh-so often gets used in sarcastic / scornful / jocular contexts.
    – FumbleFingers
    May 22 '11 at 4:13






  • 2




    I'd read the "oh-so-clever" sentence as "Paul Ryan thought his jab was very clever, but it was actually rather lame".
    – deceze
    May 22 '11 at 9:56










  • @FumbleFingers I'm not sure about "often" in such contexts - none of the given examples seem to fit this description. But certainly when such a context exists, oh-so- serves as a useful means of emphasising the sarcasm/scorn/joke. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
    – Chappo
    Dec 22 at 0:39



















1














What does "oh-so-" mean?



The expression "oh-so-" is an intensifier, a linguistic term for a modifier that "serves to enhance and give additional emotional context to the word it modifies". So is itself an intensifier, but it can normally only be used predicatively - "that joke was so clever" but not "the so clever joke". However, the idiomatic addition of oh enables so to be used attributively (though why, I'm not sure!): "the oh so clever joke." [Note that some style guides require an adjectival phrase before a noun to be hyphenated if the first element isn't an adverb ending in -ly; hence oh-so-clever jab but "that jab was oh so clever".]



The "oh" in the expression gives the added sense of a sigh or gasp (depending on context), heightening the emotional content of the expression.



We would therefore interpret oh-so-lonely as something like "so lonely it made me sigh", and oh-so-clever as "so clever it made me gasp".



Does it indicate sarcasm?



A number of answers have suggested that the addition "oh-so-" is often used in a sarcastic context. This is not the case - at least, it's no more true than the use of "very" or any other intensifier. Cambridge Dictionary defines sarcasm as




the use of remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what they say,
made in order to hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in
a humorous way:
"You have been working hard," he said with heavy sarcasm, as he looked at the empty page.




None of the examples given in the question are sarcastic in tone. In each case, "oh-so-" is used in a straightforward way to intensify the following word.



What about that Ryan-Cutler line?



Let's have a look at the first example in particular, where the confusion may lie in failing to differentiate the description of Ryan's jab from the actual jab (the pointed comment) itself.



The expression "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler" was the headline of an NFL (American football) article by sports journalist Kevin Seifert. The body of the article explains the context:




What I will do, however, is draw your attention to noted funnyman Paul
Ryan, the Wisconsin congressman who is also the House Budget Committee
chairman. Ryan has gained a bit of fame recently during the federal
government's budget battle, and on Monday he couldn't resist a shot at
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler during a speech to the Economic Club of
Chicago.



The Washington Examiner has the full text of Ryan's prepared remarks,
which he apparently embellished a bit during the actual speech. Fox
News quoted him this way:




"I want to thank you all for inviting me to speak. It was especially
gracious of you to host me, even though I'm a Packers fan and I assume
most of you are Bears fans. But that doesn't mean we can't work
together. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, I stand ready to
do whatever it takes to help you re-sign Jay Cutler.



"I'm here to talk about the economy today -- about the need to get
four quarters of strong, consistent performance.



"That wasn't another Jay Cutler joke, I swear. It could be, but it's
not."





Ryan himself was using verbal irony - defined by Abrams and Hartman as "a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed" - and his comment about four quarters of strong performance was particularly clever, since this was ostensibly about a financial year divided into four quarters, but a savvy audience would see the allusion to four quarters of a football game.



In this context, the use of "oh-so-clever" in Seifert's headline is not in the least sarcastic - it's entirely factual. The headline should be interpreted as: Ryan made a pointed comment about Cutler that was so clever it made me gasp.






share|improve this answer































    0














    Example: Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler



    "Oh, so clever" is a thought on it's own, a saying that could stand by itself and may have even been uttered when the jab itself was uttered. However, using that phrase implies that the jab had to be quite cleaver indeed. Thus, in this example, the idiom emphasizes the adjective with the underlying assumption of the phrase.



    Example: Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match



    Again, "Oh, so close" was likely said (or at least thought) by a large portion of those involved, and again, the phrase implies that the goal was exceptionally close and imparts that state to the adjective.






    share|improve this answer





























      -1














      I find out these precisions (pardon my... english! because I'm a frog...) in
      http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=oh%20so



      oh so
      used in sarcastic manner to comment on a personality trait or to insult someone who is bragging about
      Bob: i have lots of black friends so i can use the word n*gger
      Danny: your oh so open minded



      Bob: hitler wrote the second half of the bible
      Danny: your oh so educated



      And in a comic book, I found this expression writen on interrogative mode:
      A: “What are you raving about? I never did anything to you!”
      B: “Oh so?”
      Can Somebody help me to specicy this meaning?
      Thanks






      share|improve this answer





















      • Oliver, it's not the "oh-so-" itself that creates the sarcasm, it's the other part of the expression, i.e. "open-minded" and "educated". The "oh-so-" just intensifies the expression, i.e. drawing greater attention to the sarcasm of the other word. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:31



















      -1














      I would say the use of the expression in your examples is one of derision, not directly sarcasm.



      The expression, in normal terms, just means an sigh, admiring/lamenting something for being “very” (adjective) such as “My little nephew is oh so cute”. The speaker is definitely touched/moved.



      All your examples, except the first, are without any sarcasm, just emotion.



      When sarcasm is used, note that it does not mean a negation of the fact, only a negation of the speaker’s admiration for it. For example, it is not meant that Paul Ryan’s jab was not actually clever. Rather, that it was too clever for the speaker’s admiration, and invited derision instead.





      1. Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler




        1. Chivas USA came oh so
          close to getting the first goal of the match


        2. The movie-star-handsome
          [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance


        3. Robert Pattinson Oh
          So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'


        4. An Oh-So-British Affair
          Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm


        5. LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error
          in the game


        6. Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to
          Vancouver









      share|improve this answer





















      • You might like to include a definition of derision in your answer, as none of its meanings I'm aware of suit this question. And your explanation of sarcasm is also wrong: sarcasm relies on negation, it's an ironic statement of the opposite.
        – Chappo
        Dec 21 at 22:15










      protected by Community Dec 21 at 13:34



      Thank you for your interest in this question.
      Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).



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      6 Answers
      6






      active

      oldest

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      6 Answers
      6






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      6














      "Oh-so" means "very", but with the implication of certain emotion. The "oh" caries similar meaning to a sigh. It can imply sarcasm, relief, frustration, etc.






      share|improve this answer

















      • 2




        So it's context dependent, isn't it? And sarcasm seems to be its most prominent use.
        – UncleZeiv
        May 23 '11 at 22:40










      • Yes indeed, exactly as you said.
        – KumaAra
        Nov 28 '17 at 7:16










      • @UncleZeiv no, sarcasm isn't "its most prominent use". See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:25
















      6














      "Oh-so" means "very", but with the implication of certain emotion. The "oh" caries similar meaning to a sigh. It can imply sarcasm, relief, frustration, etc.






      share|improve this answer

















      • 2




        So it's context dependent, isn't it? And sarcasm seems to be its most prominent use.
        – UncleZeiv
        May 23 '11 at 22:40










      • Yes indeed, exactly as you said.
        – KumaAra
        Nov 28 '17 at 7:16










      • @UncleZeiv no, sarcasm isn't "its most prominent use". See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:25














      6












      6








      6






      "Oh-so" means "very", but with the implication of certain emotion. The "oh" caries similar meaning to a sigh. It can imply sarcasm, relief, frustration, etc.






      share|improve this answer












      "Oh-so" means "very", but with the implication of certain emotion. The "oh" caries similar meaning to a sigh. It can imply sarcasm, relief, frustration, etc.







      share|improve this answer












      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer










      answered May 22 '11 at 9:27









      Kramii

      406413




      406413








      • 2




        So it's context dependent, isn't it? And sarcasm seems to be its most prominent use.
        – UncleZeiv
        May 23 '11 at 22:40










      • Yes indeed, exactly as you said.
        – KumaAra
        Nov 28 '17 at 7:16










      • @UncleZeiv no, sarcasm isn't "its most prominent use". See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:25














      • 2




        So it's context dependent, isn't it? And sarcasm seems to be its most prominent use.
        – UncleZeiv
        May 23 '11 at 22:40










      • Yes indeed, exactly as you said.
        – KumaAra
        Nov 28 '17 at 7:16










      • @UncleZeiv no, sarcasm isn't "its most prominent use". See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:25








      2




      2




      So it's context dependent, isn't it? And sarcasm seems to be its most prominent use.
      – UncleZeiv
      May 23 '11 at 22:40




      So it's context dependent, isn't it? And sarcasm seems to be its most prominent use.
      – UncleZeiv
      May 23 '11 at 22:40












      Yes indeed, exactly as you said.
      – KumaAra
      Nov 28 '17 at 7:16




      Yes indeed, exactly as you said.
      – KumaAra
      Nov 28 '17 at 7:16












      @UncleZeiv no, sarcasm isn't "its most prominent use". See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
      – Chappo
      Dec 22 at 0:25




      @UncleZeiv no, sarcasm isn't "its most prominent use". See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
      – Chappo
      Dec 22 at 0:25













      3














      I believe it means "very" or "extremely". It is used to modify an adjective or adverb.




      "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler"




      Becomes




      "Paul Ryan's very clever jab."




      Another example




      "LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game"



      "LaPorta made an extremely costly error in the game"







      share|improve this answer

















      • 5




        Possibly because it's a somewhat 'quirky' idiom in the first place, oh-so often gets used in sarcastic / scornful / jocular contexts.
        – FumbleFingers
        May 22 '11 at 4:13






      • 2




        I'd read the "oh-so-clever" sentence as "Paul Ryan thought his jab was very clever, but it was actually rather lame".
        – deceze
        May 22 '11 at 9:56










      • @FumbleFingers I'm not sure about "often" in such contexts - none of the given examples seem to fit this description. But certainly when such a context exists, oh-so- serves as a useful means of emphasising the sarcasm/scorn/joke. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:39
















      3














      I believe it means "very" or "extremely". It is used to modify an adjective or adverb.




      "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler"




      Becomes




      "Paul Ryan's very clever jab."




      Another example




      "LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game"



      "LaPorta made an extremely costly error in the game"







      share|improve this answer

















      • 5




        Possibly because it's a somewhat 'quirky' idiom in the first place, oh-so often gets used in sarcastic / scornful / jocular contexts.
        – FumbleFingers
        May 22 '11 at 4:13






      • 2




        I'd read the "oh-so-clever" sentence as "Paul Ryan thought his jab was very clever, but it was actually rather lame".
        – deceze
        May 22 '11 at 9:56










      • @FumbleFingers I'm not sure about "often" in such contexts - none of the given examples seem to fit this description. But certainly when such a context exists, oh-so- serves as a useful means of emphasising the sarcasm/scorn/joke. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:39














      3












      3








      3






      I believe it means "very" or "extremely". It is used to modify an adjective or adverb.




      "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler"




      Becomes




      "Paul Ryan's very clever jab."




      Another example




      "LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game"



      "LaPorta made an extremely costly error in the game"







      share|improve this answer












      I believe it means "very" or "extremely". It is used to modify an adjective or adverb.




      "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler"




      Becomes




      "Paul Ryan's very clever jab."




      Another example




      "LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error in the game"



      "LaPorta made an extremely costly error in the game"








      share|improve this answer












      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer










      answered May 22 '11 at 4:02









      Stephen

      1613




      1613








      • 5




        Possibly because it's a somewhat 'quirky' idiom in the first place, oh-so often gets used in sarcastic / scornful / jocular contexts.
        – FumbleFingers
        May 22 '11 at 4:13






      • 2




        I'd read the "oh-so-clever" sentence as "Paul Ryan thought his jab was very clever, but it was actually rather lame".
        – deceze
        May 22 '11 at 9:56










      • @FumbleFingers I'm not sure about "often" in such contexts - none of the given examples seem to fit this description. But certainly when such a context exists, oh-so- serves as a useful means of emphasising the sarcasm/scorn/joke. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:39














      • 5




        Possibly because it's a somewhat 'quirky' idiom in the first place, oh-so often gets used in sarcastic / scornful / jocular contexts.
        – FumbleFingers
        May 22 '11 at 4:13






      • 2




        I'd read the "oh-so-clever" sentence as "Paul Ryan thought his jab was very clever, but it was actually rather lame".
        – deceze
        May 22 '11 at 9:56










      • @FumbleFingers I'm not sure about "often" in such contexts - none of the given examples seem to fit this description. But certainly when such a context exists, oh-so- serves as a useful means of emphasising the sarcasm/scorn/joke. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
        – Chappo
        Dec 22 at 0:39








      5




      5




      Possibly because it's a somewhat 'quirky' idiom in the first place, oh-so often gets used in sarcastic / scornful / jocular contexts.
      – FumbleFingers
      May 22 '11 at 4:13




      Possibly because it's a somewhat 'quirky' idiom in the first place, oh-so often gets used in sarcastic / scornful / jocular contexts.
      – FumbleFingers
      May 22 '11 at 4:13




      2




      2




      I'd read the "oh-so-clever" sentence as "Paul Ryan thought his jab was very clever, but it was actually rather lame".
      – deceze
      May 22 '11 at 9:56




      I'd read the "oh-so-clever" sentence as "Paul Ryan thought his jab was very clever, but it was actually rather lame".
      – deceze
      May 22 '11 at 9:56












      @FumbleFingers I'm not sure about "often" in such contexts - none of the given examples seem to fit this description. But certainly when such a context exists, oh-so- serves as a useful means of emphasising the sarcasm/scorn/joke. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
      – Chappo
      Dec 22 at 0:39




      @FumbleFingers I'm not sure about "often" in such contexts - none of the given examples seem to fit this description. But certainly when such a context exists, oh-so- serves as a useful means of emphasising the sarcasm/scorn/joke. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
      – Chappo
      Dec 22 at 0:39











      1














      What does "oh-so-" mean?



      The expression "oh-so-" is an intensifier, a linguistic term for a modifier that "serves to enhance and give additional emotional context to the word it modifies". So is itself an intensifier, but it can normally only be used predicatively - "that joke was so clever" but not "the so clever joke". However, the idiomatic addition of oh enables so to be used attributively (though why, I'm not sure!): "the oh so clever joke." [Note that some style guides require an adjectival phrase before a noun to be hyphenated if the first element isn't an adverb ending in -ly; hence oh-so-clever jab but "that jab was oh so clever".]



      The "oh" in the expression gives the added sense of a sigh or gasp (depending on context), heightening the emotional content of the expression.



      We would therefore interpret oh-so-lonely as something like "so lonely it made me sigh", and oh-so-clever as "so clever it made me gasp".



      Does it indicate sarcasm?



      A number of answers have suggested that the addition "oh-so-" is often used in a sarcastic context. This is not the case - at least, it's no more true than the use of "very" or any other intensifier. Cambridge Dictionary defines sarcasm as




      the use of remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what they say,
      made in order to hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in
      a humorous way:
      "You have been working hard," he said with heavy sarcasm, as he looked at the empty page.




      None of the examples given in the question are sarcastic in tone. In each case, "oh-so-" is used in a straightforward way to intensify the following word.



      What about that Ryan-Cutler line?



      Let's have a look at the first example in particular, where the confusion may lie in failing to differentiate the description of Ryan's jab from the actual jab (the pointed comment) itself.



      The expression "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler" was the headline of an NFL (American football) article by sports journalist Kevin Seifert. The body of the article explains the context:




      What I will do, however, is draw your attention to noted funnyman Paul
      Ryan, the Wisconsin congressman who is also the House Budget Committee
      chairman. Ryan has gained a bit of fame recently during the federal
      government's budget battle, and on Monday he couldn't resist a shot at
      Bears quarterback Jay Cutler during a speech to the Economic Club of
      Chicago.



      The Washington Examiner has the full text of Ryan's prepared remarks,
      which he apparently embellished a bit during the actual speech. Fox
      News quoted him this way:




      "I want to thank you all for inviting me to speak. It was especially
      gracious of you to host me, even though I'm a Packers fan and I assume
      most of you are Bears fans. But that doesn't mean we can't work
      together. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, I stand ready to
      do whatever it takes to help you re-sign Jay Cutler.



      "I'm here to talk about the economy today -- about the need to get
      four quarters of strong, consistent performance.



      "That wasn't another Jay Cutler joke, I swear. It could be, but it's
      not."





      Ryan himself was using verbal irony - defined by Abrams and Hartman as "a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed" - and his comment about four quarters of strong performance was particularly clever, since this was ostensibly about a financial year divided into four quarters, but a savvy audience would see the allusion to four quarters of a football game.



      In this context, the use of "oh-so-clever" in Seifert's headline is not in the least sarcastic - it's entirely factual. The headline should be interpreted as: Ryan made a pointed comment about Cutler that was so clever it made me gasp.






      share|improve this answer




























        1














        What does "oh-so-" mean?



        The expression "oh-so-" is an intensifier, a linguistic term for a modifier that "serves to enhance and give additional emotional context to the word it modifies". So is itself an intensifier, but it can normally only be used predicatively - "that joke was so clever" but not "the so clever joke". However, the idiomatic addition of oh enables so to be used attributively (though why, I'm not sure!): "the oh so clever joke." [Note that some style guides require an adjectival phrase before a noun to be hyphenated if the first element isn't an adverb ending in -ly; hence oh-so-clever jab but "that jab was oh so clever".]



        The "oh" in the expression gives the added sense of a sigh or gasp (depending on context), heightening the emotional content of the expression.



        We would therefore interpret oh-so-lonely as something like "so lonely it made me sigh", and oh-so-clever as "so clever it made me gasp".



        Does it indicate sarcasm?



        A number of answers have suggested that the addition "oh-so-" is often used in a sarcastic context. This is not the case - at least, it's no more true than the use of "very" or any other intensifier. Cambridge Dictionary defines sarcasm as




        the use of remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what they say,
        made in order to hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in
        a humorous way:
        "You have been working hard," he said with heavy sarcasm, as he looked at the empty page.




        None of the examples given in the question are sarcastic in tone. In each case, "oh-so-" is used in a straightforward way to intensify the following word.



        What about that Ryan-Cutler line?



        Let's have a look at the first example in particular, where the confusion may lie in failing to differentiate the description of Ryan's jab from the actual jab (the pointed comment) itself.



        The expression "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler" was the headline of an NFL (American football) article by sports journalist Kevin Seifert. The body of the article explains the context:




        What I will do, however, is draw your attention to noted funnyman Paul
        Ryan, the Wisconsin congressman who is also the House Budget Committee
        chairman. Ryan has gained a bit of fame recently during the federal
        government's budget battle, and on Monday he couldn't resist a shot at
        Bears quarterback Jay Cutler during a speech to the Economic Club of
        Chicago.



        The Washington Examiner has the full text of Ryan's prepared remarks,
        which he apparently embellished a bit during the actual speech. Fox
        News quoted him this way:




        "I want to thank you all for inviting me to speak. It was especially
        gracious of you to host me, even though I'm a Packers fan and I assume
        most of you are Bears fans. But that doesn't mean we can't work
        together. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, I stand ready to
        do whatever it takes to help you re-sign Jay Cutler.



        "I'm here to talk about the economy today -- about the need to get
        four quarters of strong, consistent performance.



        "That wasn't another Jay Cutler joke, I swear. It could be, but it's
        not."





        Ryan himself was using verbal irony - defined by Abrams and Hartman as "a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed" - and his comment about four quarters of strong performance was particularly clever, since this was ostensibly about a financial year divided into four quarters, but a savvy audience would see the allusion to four quarters of a football game.



        In this context, the use of "oh-so-clever" in Seifert's headline is not in the least sarcastic - it's entirely factual. The headline should be interpreted as: Ryan made a pointed comment about Cutler that was so clever it made me gasp.






        share|improve this answer


























          1












          1








          1






          What does "oh-so-" mean?



          The expression "oh-so-" is an intensifier, a linguistic term for a modifier that "serves to enhance and give additional emotional context to the word it modifies". So is itself an intensifier, but it can normally only be used predicatively - "that joke was so clever" but not "the so clever joke". However, the idiomatic addition of oh enables so to be used attributively (though why, I'm not sure!): "the oh so clever joke." [Note that some style guides require an adjectival phrase before a noun to be hyphenated if the first element isn't an adverb ending in -ly; hence oh-so-clever jab but "that jab was oh so clever".]



          The "oh" in the expression gives the added sense of a sigh or gasp (depending on context), heightening the emotional content of the expression.



          We would therefore interpret oh-so-lonely as something like "so lonely it made me sigh", and oh-so-clever as "so clever it made me gasp".



          Does it indicate sarcasm?



          A number of answers have suggested that the addition "oh-so-" is often used in a sarcastic context. This is not the case - at least, it's no more true than the use of "very" or any other intensifier. Cambridge Dictionary defines sarcasm as




          the use of remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what they say,
          made in order to hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in
          a humorous way:
          "You have been working hard," he said with heavy sarcasm, as he looked at the empty page.




          None of the examples given in the question are sarcastic in tone. In each case, "oh-so-" is used in a straightforward way to intensify the following word.



          What about that Ryan-Cutler line?



          Let's have a look at the first example in particular, where the confusion may lie in failing to differentiate the description of Ryan's jab from the actual jab (the pointed comment) itself.



          The expression "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler" was the headline of an NFL (American football) article by sports journalist Kevin Seifert. The body of the article explains the context:




          What I will do, however, is draw your attention to noted funnyman Paul
          Ryan, the Wisconsin congressman who is also the House Budget Committee
          chairman. Ryan has gained a bit of fame recently during the federal
          government's budget battle, and on Monday he couldn't resist a shot at
          Bears quarterback Jay Cutler during a speech to the Economic Club of
          Chicago.



          The Washington Examiner has the full text of Ryan's prepared remarks,
          which he apparently embellished a bit during the actual speech. Fox
          News quoted him this way:




          "I want to thank you all for inviting me to speak. It was especially
          gracious of you to host me, even though I'm a Packers fan and I assume
          most of you are Bears fans. But that doesn't mean we can't work
          together. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, I stand ready to
          do whatever it takes to help you re-sign Jay Cutler.



          "I'm here to talk about the economy today -- about the need to get
          four quarters of strong, consistent performance.



          "That wasn't another Jay Cutler joke, I swear. It could be, but it's
          not."





          Ryan himself was using verbal irony - defined by Abrams and Hartman as "a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed" - and his comment about four quarters of strong performance was particularly clever, since this was ostensibly about a financial year divided into four quarters, but a savvy audience would see the allusion to four quarters of a football game.



          In this context, the use of "oh-so-clever" in Seifert's headline is not in the least sarcastic - it's entirely factual. The headline should be interpreted as: Ryan made a pointed comment about Cutler that was so clever it made me gasp.






          share|improve this answer














          What does "oh-so-" mean?



          The expression "oh-so-" is an intensifier, a linguistic term for a modifier that "serves to enhance and give additional emotional context to the word it modifies". So is itself an intensifier, but it can normally only be used predicatively - "that joke was so clever" but not "the so clever joke". However, the idiomatic addition of oh enables so to be used attributively (though why, I'm not sure!): "the oh so clever joke." [Note that some style guides require an adjectival phrase before a noun to be hyphenated if the first element isn't an adverb ending in -ly; hence oh-so-clever jab but "that jab was oh so clever".]



          The "oh" in the expression gives the added sense of a sigh or gasp (depending on context), heightening the emotional content of the expression.



          We would therefore interpret oh-so-lonely as something like "so lonely it made me sigh", and oh-so-clever as "so clever it made me gasp".



          Does it indicate sarcasm?



          A number of answers have suggested that the addition "oh-so-" is often used in a sarcastic context. This is not the case - at least, it's no more true than the use of "very" or any other intensifier. Cambridge Dictionary defines sarcasm as




          the use of remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what they say,
          made in order to hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in
          a humorous way:
          "You have been working hard," he said with heavy sarcasm, as he looked at the empty page.




          None of the examples given in the question are sarcastic in tone. In each case, "oh-so-" is used in a straightforward way to intensify the following word.



          What about that Ryan-Cutler line?



          Let's have a look at the first example in particular, where the confusion may lie in failing to differentiate the description of Ryan's jab from the actual jab (the pointed comment) itself.



          The expression "Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler" was the headline of an NFL (American football) article by sports journalist Kevin Seifert. The body of the article explains the context:




          What I will do, however, is draw your attention to noted funnyman Paul
          Ryan, the Wisconsin congressman who is also the House Budget Committee
          chairman. Ryan has gained a bit of fame recently during the federal
          government's budget battle, and on Monday he couldn't resist a shot at
          Bears quarterback Jay Cutler during a speech to the Economic Club of
          Chicago.



          The Washington Examiner has the full text of Ryan's prepared remarks,
          which he apparently embellished a bit during the actual speech. Fox
          News quoted him this way:




          "I want to thank you all for inviting me to speak. It was especially
          gracious of you to host me, even though I'm a Packers fan and I assume
          most of you are Bears fans. But that doesn't mean we can't work
          together. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, I stand ready to
          do whatever it takes to help you re-sign Jay Cutler.



          "I'm here to talk about the economy today -- about the need to get
          four quarters of strong, consistent performance.



          "That wasn't another Jay Cutler joke, I swear. It could be, but it's
          not."





          Ryan himself was using verbal irony - defined by Abrams and Hartman as "a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed" - and his comment about four quarters of strong performance was particularly clever, since this was ostensibly about a financial year divided into four quarters, but a savvy audience would see the allusion to four quarters of a football game.



          In this context, the use of "oh-so-clever" in Seifert's headline is not in the least sarcastic - it's entirely factual. The headline should be interpreted as: Ryan made a pointed comment about Cutler that was so clever it made me gasp.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited Dec 22 at 0:22

























          answered Dec 22 at 0:17









          Chappo

          2,62641225




          2,62641225























              0














              Example: Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler



              "Oh, so clever" is a thought on it's own, a saying that could stand by itself and may have even been uttered when the jab itself was uttered. However, using that phrase implies that the jab had to be quite cleaver indeed. Thus, in this example, the idiom emphasizes the adjective with the underlying assumption of the phrase.



              Example: Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match



              Again, "Oh, so close" was likely said (or at least thought) by a large portion of those involved, and again, the phrase implies that the goal was exceptionally close and imparts that state to the adjective.






              share|improve this answer


























                0














                Example: Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler



                "Oh, so clever" is a thought on it's own, a saying that could stand by itself and may have even been uttered when the jab itself was uttered. However, using that phrase implies that the jab had to be quite cleaver indeed. Thus, in this example, the idiom emphasizes the adjective with the underlying assumption of the phrase.



                Example: Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match



                Again, "Oh, so close" was likely said (or at least thought) by a large portion of those involved, and again, the phrase implies that the goal was exceptionally close and imparts that state to the adjective.






                share|improve this answer
























                  0












                  0








                  0






                  Example: Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler



                  "Oh, so clever" is a thought on it's own, a saying that could stand by itself and may have even been uttered when the jab itself was uttered. However, using that phrase implies that the jab had to be quite cleaver indeed. Thus, in this example, the idiom emphasizes the adjective with the underlying assumption of the phrase.



                  Example: Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match



                  Again, "Oh, so close" was likely said (or at least thought) by a large portion of those involved, and again, the phrase implies that the goal was exceptionally close and imparts that state to the adjective.






                  share|improve this answer












                  Example: Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler



                  "Oh, so clever" is a thought on it's own, a saying that could stand by itself and may have even been uttered when the jab itself was uttered. However, using that phrase implies that the jab had to be quite cleaver indeed. Thus, in this example, the idiom emphasizes the adjective with the underlying assumption of the phrase.



                  Example: Chivas USA came oh so close to getting the first goal of the match



                  Again, "Oh, so close" was likely said (or at least thought) by a large portion of those involved, and again, the phrase implies that the goal was exceptionally close and imparts that state to the adjective.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered Aug 29 '14 at 8:54









                  kindlin

                  1




                  1























                      -1














                      I find out these precisions (pardon my... english! because I'm a frog...) in
                      http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=oh%20so



                      oh so
                      used in sarcastic manner to comment on a personality trait or to insult someone who is bragging about
                      Bob: i have lots of black friends so i can use the word n*gger
                      Danny: your oh so open minded



                      Bob: hitler wrote the second half of the bible
                      Danny: your oh so educated



                      And in a comic book, I found this expression writen on interrogative mode:
                      A: “What are you raving about? I never did anything to you!”
                      B: “Oh so?”
                      Can Somebody help me to specicy this meaning?
                      Thanks






                      share|improve this answer





















                      • Oliver, it's not the "oh-so-" itself that creates the sarcasm, it's the other part of the expression, i.e. "open-minded" and "educated". The "oh-so-" just intensifies the expression, i.e. drawing greater attention to the sarcasm of the other word. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 22 at 0:31
















                      -1














                      I find out these precisions (pardon my... english! because I'm a frog...) in
                      http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=oh%20so



                      oh so
                      used in sarcastic manner to comment on a personality trait or to insult someone who is bragging about
                      Bob: i have lots of black friends so i can use the word n*gger
                      Danny: your oh so open minded



                      Bob: hitler wrote the second half of the bible
                      Danny: your oh so educated



                      And in a comic book, I found this expression writen on interrogative mode:
                      A: “What are you raving about? I never did anything to you!”
                      B: “Oh so?”
                      Can Somebody help me to specicy this meaning?
                      Thanks






                      share|improve this answer





















                      • Oliver, it's not the "oh-so-" itself that creates the sarcasm, it's the other part of the expression, i.e. "open-minded" and "educated". The "oh-so-" just intensifies the expression, i.e. drawing greater attention to the sarcasm of the other word. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 22 at 0:31














                      -1












                      -1








                      -1






                      I find out these precisions (pardon my... english! because I'm a frog...) in
                      http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=oh%20so



                      oh so
                      used in sarcastic manner to comment on a personality trait or to insult someone who is bragging about
                      Bob: i have lots of black friends so i can use the word n*gger
                      Danny: your oh so open minded



                      Bob: hitler wrote the second half of the bible
                      Danny: your oh so educated



                      And in a comic book, I found this expression writen on interrogative mode:
                      A: “What are you raving about? I never did anything to you!”
                      B: “Oh so?”
                      Can Somebody help me to specicy this meaning?
                      Thanks






                      share|improve this answer












                      I find out these precisions (pardon my... english! because I'm a frog...) in
                      http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=oh%20so



                      oh so
                      used in sarcastic manner to comment on a personality trait or to insult someone who is bragging about
                      Bob: i have lots of black friends so i can use the word n*gger
                      Danny: your oh so open minded



                      Bob: hitler wrote the second half of the bible
                      Danny: your oh so educated



                      And in a comic book, I found this expression writen on interrogative mode:
                      A: “What are you raving about? I never did anything to you!”
                      B: “Oh so?”
                      Can Somebody help me to specicy this meaning?
                      Thanks







                      share|improve this answer












                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer










                      answered Aug 20 '17 at 2:14









                      Oliver

                      1




                      1












                      • Oliver, it's not the "oh-so-" itself that creates the sarcasm, it's the other part of the expression, i.e. "open-minded" and "educated". The "oh-so-" just intensifies the expression, i.e. drawing greater attention to the sarcasm of the other word. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 22 at 0:31


















                      • Oliver, it's not the "oh-so-" itself that creates the sarcasm, it's the other part of the expression, i.e. "open-minded" and "educated". The "oh-so-" just intensifies the expression, i.e. drawing greater attention to the sarcasm of the other word. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 22 at 0:31
















                      Oliver, it's not the "oh-so-" itself that creates the sarcasm, it's the other part of the expression, i.e. "open-minded" and "educated". The "oh-so-" just intensifies the expression, i.e. drawing greater attention to the sarcasm of the other word. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
                      – Chappo
                      Dec 22 at 0:31




                      Oliver, it's not the "oh-so-" itself that creates the sarcasm, it's the other part of the expression, i.e. "open-minded" and "educated". The "oh-so-" just intensifies the expression, i.e. drawing greater attention to the sarcasm of the other word. See my answer, which I wrote primarily to address the question of whether the expression has an element of sarcasm :-)
                      – Chappo
                      Dec 22 at 0:31











                      -1














                      I would say the use of the expression in your examples is one of derision, not directly sarcasm.



                      The expression, in normal terms, just means an sigh, admiring/lamenting something for being “very” (adjective) such as “My little nephew is oh so cute”. The speaker is definitely touched/moved.



                      All your examples, except the first, are without any sarcasm, just emotion.



                      When sarcasm is used, note that it does not mean a negation of the fact, only a negation of the speaker’s admiration for it. For example, it is not meant that Paul Ryan’s jab was not actually clever. Rather, that it was too clever for the speaker’s admiration, and invited derision instead.





                      1. Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler




                        1. Chivas USA came oh so
                          close to getting the first goal of the match


                        2. The movie-star-handsome
                          [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance


                        3. Robert Pattinson Oh
                          So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'


                        4. An Oh-So-British Affair
                          Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm


                        5. LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error
                          in the game


                        6. Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to
                          Vancouver









                      share|improve this answer





















                      • You might like to include a definition of derision in your answer, as none of its meanings I'm aware of suit this question. And your explanation of sarcasm is also wrong: sarcasm relies on negation, it's an ironic statement of the opposite.
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 21 at 22:15
















                      -1














                      I would say the use of the expression in your examples is one of derision, not directly sarcasm.



                      The expression, in normal terms, just means an sigh, admiring/lamenting something for being “very” (adjective) such as “My little nephew is oh so cute”. The speaker is definitely touched/moved.



                      All your examples, except the first, are without any sarcasm, just emotion.



                      When sarcasm is used, note that it does not mean a negation of the fact, only a negation of the speaker’s admiration for it. For example, it is not meant that Paul Ryan’s jab was not actually clever. Rather, that it was too clever for the speaker’s admiration, and invited derision instead.





                      1. Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler




                        1. Chivas USA came oh so
                          close to getting the first goal of the match


                        2. The movie-star-handsome
                          [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance


                        3. Robert Pattinson Oh
                          So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'


                        4. An Oh-So-British Affair
                          Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm


                        5. LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error
                          in the game


                        6. Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to
                          Vancouver









                      share|improve this answer





















                      • You might like to include a definition of derision in your answer, as none of its meanings I'm aware of suit this question. And your explanation of sarcasm is also wrong: sarcasm relies on negation, it's an ironic statement of the opposite.
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 21 at 22:15














                      -1












                      -1








                      -1






                      I would say the use of the expression in your examples is one of derision, not directly sarcasm.



                      The expression, in normal terms, just means an sigh, admiring/lamenting something for being “very” (adjective) such as “My little nephew is oh so cute”. The speaker is definitely touched/moved.



                      All your examples, except the first, are without any sarcasm, just emotion.



                      When sarcasm is used, note that it does not mean a negation of the fact, only a negation of the speaker’s admiration for it. For example, it is not meant that Paul Ryan’s jab was not actually clever. Rather, that it was too clever for the speaker’s admiration, and invited derision instead.





                      1. Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler




                        1. Chivas USA came oh so
                          close to getting the first goal of the match


                        2. The movie-star-handsome
                          [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance


                        3. Robert Pattinson Oh
                          So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'


                        4. An Oh-So-British Affair
                          Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm


                        5. LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error
                          in the game


                        6. Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to
                          Vancouver









                      share|improve this answer












                      I would say the use of the expression in your examples is one of derision, not directly sarcasm.



                      The expression, in normal terms, just means an sigh, admiring/lamenting something for being “very” (adjective) such as “My little nephew is oh so cute”. The speaker is definitely touched/moved.



                      All your examples, except the first, are without any sarcasm, just emotion.



                      When sarcasm is used, note that it does not mean a negation of the fact, only a negation of the speaker’s admiration for it. For example, it is not meant that Paul Ryan’s jab was not actually clever. Rather, that it was too clever for the speaker’s admiration, and invited derision instead.





                      1. Paul Ryan's oh-so-clever jab at Jay Cutler




                        1. Chivas USA came oh so
                          close to getting the first goal of the match


                        2. The movie-star-handsome
                          [...] stung with that oh-so-direct comeuppance


                        3. Robert Pattinson Oh
                          So Lonely: 'No One Ever Calls Or Texts Me!'


                        4. An Oh-So-British Affair
                          Projects a Fresh, Antique Charm


                        5. LaPorta made an oh-so-costly error
                          in the game


                        6. Finally, the long, oh so very long flight back to
                          Vancouver










                      share|improve this answer












                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer










                      answered Nov 28 '17 at 7:35









                      Logophile

                      50518




                      50518












                      • You might like to include a definition of derision in your answer, as none of its meanings I'm aware of suit this question. And your explanation of sarcasm is also wrong: sarcasm relies on negation, it's an ironic statement of the opposite.
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 21 at 22:15


















                      • You might like to include a definition of derision in your answer, as none of its meanings I'm aware of suit this question. And your explanation of sarcasm is also wrong: sarcasm relies on negation, it's an ironic statement of the opposite.
                        – Chappo
                        Dec 21 at 22:15
















                      You might like to include a definition of derision in your answer, as none of its meanings I'm aware of suit this question. And your explanation of sarcasm is also wrong: sarcasm relies on negation, it's an ironic statement of the opposite.
                      – Chappo
                      Dec 21 at 22:15




                      You might like to include a definition of derision in your answer, as none of its meanings I'm aware of suit this question. And your explanation of sarcasm is also wrong: sarcasm relies on negation, it's an ironic statement of the opposite.
                      – Chappo
                      Dec 21 at 22:15





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