BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'

30 Aug 09 - 04:54 PM (#2712356)
Subject: BS: Found - an 'ironic font' ?
From: McGrath of Harlow

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"?

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30 Aug 09 - 05:00 PM (#2712364)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: robomatic

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).

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30 Aug 09 - 06:04 PM (#2712414)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Tangledwood

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.

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30 Aug 09 - 07:21 PM (#2712483)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.

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??

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30 Aug 09 - 07:33 PM (#2712494)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow

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

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

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30 Aug 09 - 08:12 PM (#2712519)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: heric

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.

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30 Aug 09 - 08:14 PM (#2712522)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.

They know who they are...

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30 Aug 09 - 09:07 PM (#2712561)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: GUEST,leeneia

That would be a good thing, McGraw.

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30 Aug 09 - 09:31 PM (#2712575)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Peace

"...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.)

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30 Aug 09 - 10:49 PM (#2712609)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D

"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..)

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30 Aug 09 - 11:11 PM (#2712622)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.

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

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30 Aug 09 - 11:44 PM (#2712635)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Dave the Gnome

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

:D (eG)

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30 Aug 09 - 11:49 PM (#2712637)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: wysiwyg

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

;~)

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

'~)

~S~

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30 Aug 09 - 11:56 PM (#2712640)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Peace

Here ya go.

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31 Aug 09 - 12:00 AM (#2712642)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: JohnInKansas

Some people, apparently, Do take fonts seriously.

??? ... !!

John

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31 Aug 09 - 05:06 AM (#2712723)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow

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.

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31 Aug 09 - 01:42 PM (#2713054)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: ClaireBear

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?

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31 Aug 09 - 01:53 PM (#2713064)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D

It can be very important to choose the right font

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31 Aug 09 - 02:08 PM (#2713079)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: ClaireBear

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

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31 Aug 09 - 02:13 PM (#2713086)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D

You don't dare? ¿¡

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31 Aug 09 - 02:28 PM (#2713094)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: ClaireBear

'Twould't be prudent.

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31 Aug 09 - 02:49 PM (#2713109)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow

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.

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31 Aug 09 - 04:03 PM (#2713161)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Smokey.

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.

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31 Aug 09 - 05:09 PM (#2713227)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: JohnInKansas

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

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01 Sep 09 - 12:03 AM (#2713438)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: Bill D

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.

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01 Sep 09 - 11:36 AM (#2713728)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: GUEST,leeneia

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.

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01 Sep 09 - 04:24 PM (#2713981)
Subject: RE: BS: Needed - an 'ironic font'
From: McGrath of Harlow

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.

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