BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'

Subject: BS: Found - an 'ironic font' ?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 04:54 PM

I was contemplating yet another example of a threadin which exemplified the disastrous results to friendly discussion and international understasnding that a misunderstanding about the use of irony can cause.

Often enough people have suggested that we could use a typeface that indicated the use of irony. So I idly googled "ironic font", not expecting anything particular to turnup - and up came this comment on precisely this matter, with a very sensible suggestion, the use of a "backslant" font for this very purpose. (And it's from an interesting looking blog,)

Unfortunately I don't think at present there is any HTML code for this. Otherwise it could come in very handy here from time to time.

Of course it might seem a bit heavy handed, arguably insulting even, with an implication that readers lack the sensibility that would enable them to recognise irony in a comment. If it caught on would it lead to Jonathan Swift's "Modest Proposal" being printed in "ironic"?

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: robomatic
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 05:00 PM

It's as interesting a proposal as Borge's phonetic punctuation and leads one to propose that there be a SATIRIC font, a sarcastic font, and an a?m?b?i?g?u?o?u?s font. And maybe a small one for (litotes)

In this time of shrinking job opportunities, I think this would be a boon to the beleaguered Fraternal Order Of Typographers (FOOT).

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Tangledwood
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 06:04 PM

Of course it might seem a bit heavy handed, arguably insulting even, with an implication that readers lack the sensibility that would enable them to recognise irony in a comment.


Yes, it would be like adding canned laughter on a TV comedy show wouldn't it.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 07:21 PM

Slightly off-topic, but I think the use of exclamation marks should be banned, except in cases of emergency. And whilst I'm in a grumbling mood, people who do that "thing" with their "fingers" should be severely punished, if not hanged, along with those who put "yes?" or "no?" at the end of a sentence. The over-use of question marks should also be strongly deprecated, no??

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 07:33 PM

"...people who do that "thing" with their "fingers" should be severely punished..."

Well, I suppose it depends what "that thing" means.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: heric
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 08:12 PM

After several years of studying the word in usage, as distinct from dictionary definitions, I've come to understand it as the politician's equivalent of an apology: "I'm sorry if anyone found my words offensive." So that phrase could just be inserted as a postscript to any signature line.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 08:14 PM

They know who they are...

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 09:07 PM

That would be a good thing, McGraw.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Peace
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 09:31 PM

"...people who do that "thing" with their "fingers" should be severely punished..."

Well, I suppose it depends what "that thing" means.

I think Smokey is referring to what I have heard called 'air bunnies'. (Pardon the quotation marks.)

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 10:49 PM

"I tried copying and pasting a sample statement in a quirky font, but it didn't make the transfer. "

Of course it didn't. In order to use a different font, you must specify it in the HTML...and even then it wont work unless the reader ALSO has it on his own computer.

Now...folks ARE working on a way to identify and specify fonts in a way that will automatically go find that 'quirky font' and download it as a temporary font, so that it is not necessary to have thousands of fonts installed. But that is a long way off, I'd guess.

There are a couple dozen 'standard' fonts that will usually be recognized, but even that varies according to operating system )PC, Mac, Linux...etc..)

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 11:11 PM

Air bunnies??? I thought that was like air guitar only with imaginary rabbits. Yes??

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 11:44 PM

An ironic font? Yes, just what we need...

:D (eG)

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 11:49 PM

HERE is the ironic font-- remember we used to call them EMOTICONS?

;~)

I always understood THAT to equal "I'm being ironic"....

'~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Peace
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 11:56 PM

Here ya go.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 12:00 AM

Some people, apparently, Do take fonts seriously.

??? ... !!

John

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 02:10 AM

...remember we used to call them EMOTICONS?


EMOTICONS SUCK!

I'll use 'em when they threaten to put me in jail if I don't!

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 05:06 AM

Of course it an emoticon can be used ironically, meaning the opposite of what it ostensibly indicates. The same goes for the politicians' normally ironic formula "I'm sorry if anyone found my words offensive" - on occasion it actually can be meant by the user.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 01:42 PM

Back in the mists of time when I was a Compugraphic typesetter, there was a code that could be used to produce reverse italic.

Can't remember exactly what the coding was, but it was called "pseudo italic" and one imposed it by specifying a degree (1, 2, or 3) and a direction (L or R).

Not the same as HTML of course, but mightn't someone have thought of adopting this functionality?

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 01:53 PM

It can be very important to choose the right font

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 02:08 PM

That's truly hilarious, Bill. Thanks for the chuckle (I'd put an exclamation point here, but in this thread I don't dare).

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 02:13 PM

You don't dare? ¿¡

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 02:28 PM

'Twould't be prudent.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 02:49 PM

Then there's what can be called "post-ironic", where you are aware of the absurdity of what is involved, but still believe in its validity.   Morris Dancing, for example.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 04:03 PM

You don't dare? ¿¡

We are watching you...

Then there's what can be called "post-ironic", where you are aware of the absurdity of what is involved, but still believe in its validity. Morris Dancing, for example.

That's 'joined-up irony', in layman's terms.
Wonderfully put, sir.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 05:09 PM

Bill D. -

Some years ago a local TV station started an "old movies" series, narrated by a WSU professor who billed himself as

        "O L  F L I C K"

The series was quite successful, and he gave learned lectures on the history of the movie industry and how the "featured" films related to other movies and trends in styles and plots. It made some really mediocre movies quite enjoyable.

But they made him remove the "name block" from the desk from which he spoke after about the third episode, 'cause back in those times lots of people had marginal reception and fuzzy pictures.

A few of the complainants refused to believe it wasn't "deliberate" even after they tried using a greatly enlarged (and perfectly clear on any TV) name sign.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 12:03 AM

Oh my, John... could it have been Jim Erickson?

I knew him...used go to parties at his house when I was a grad student in the late 60s. He is just the sort who would have done something like that.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 11:36 AM

Here's a quotation from article about the change of fonts in the Ikea catalog:

"We're surprised," said Ikea spokeswoman Camilla Meiby. "But I think it's mainly experts who have expressed their views, people who are interested in fonts. I don't think the broad public is that interested."

Ms. Meiby must be a young person with good vision. There are plenty of people who care about fonts, simply because some are easy to read and some are not.

Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 04:24 PM

If it were really about making text easier to read they'd use a typeface with seriffs, like the one the Mudcat posts I read uses.

Here's a link showing the two sans serif fonts involved in this IKEA PR exercise.