Search results for 'tag:Irony tag:Articles' matching tags 'Irony' and 'Articles'

Re: article before a quoted content question

Mr Wordy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:55:39 GMT

I'm not sure I'd go quite so far as to say that this style is "good" or "correct". I just don't think it's as dreadfully bad as your original post suggested. To me, including the article is often a chatty way of suggesting a standard form of words that can be reused to serve a set purpose.

To give a different example:

We'd had a massive row, so I added "PS I love you" at the end of the letter.

We'd had a massive row, so I added a "PS I love you" at the end of the letter.

The second version acknowledges that this is a standard (and, in fact, slightly clichÃ©d) way of affirming one's feelings in a letter.

(Note that there are other reasons why you might put something in quotes. If a word or words adopt their usual grammatical role in a sentence, but you use quotes to indicate irony, unusual use, or to make clear that you are repeating the actual words that someone used, then articles are usually used as normal. For example:

He said that he was an "actor".

We checked in at the "five star" hotel.)

Re: my journal---Proofreading please!

Marius Hancu — Wed, 24 May 2006 20:08:59 GMT

a fast pass:
__ means I erased a word

---------------

Yesterday, I read some articles from BBC news about the life in Iraq. I was surprised to find that I had several misconceptions about Iraq. First, they are not poor. They are rich. They have almost everything we have. They have cars, cell phones, computers and access to Internet. Before the 1991 war, they also had a lot of parties to go to. Second, they eat pizza and hamburgers. I wonder, do they have Chinese, Italian, and French restaurants? Third, most of the Iraqi women work. They work as doctors, journalists, cooks, businesswomenâ¦ you name it.

What they donât have now is security and electricity. Isnât that an irony that they lack __ electricity? Iraq is one of the oil producing countries. Why does their nation grid have to shut down after evening? In Baghdad, most of the houses connect to __ private power firms to get power at night. When it comes to security, I think no one like Iraqis want it so badly. News about death in Iraq can be heard everyday. What kind of life they have! I feel bad for them.

my journal---Proofreading please!

Sarahkuang — Wed, 24 May 2006 19:51:20 GMT

Hi, teachers

I try to write something to improve my writing. Would you please correct me that you think is not proper. Thanks!

Yesterday, I read some articles from BBC news about the life in Iraq. I was surprised to find that I had several misconceptions about Iraq. First they are not poor. They are rich. They have almost everything we have. They have cars, cell phones, computers and accession to inter net. Before 1991 war, they also had a lot of parties to go. Second, they eat pizza and hamburgers. I wonder do they have Chinese, Italian, French restaurants? Third, most of Iraq women work. They work as doctors, journalists, cooks, businesswomenâ¦ you name it.

What they donât have now is security and electricity. Isnât that irony that they lack of electricity? Iraq is one of the oil producing countries. Why does their nation grid have to shut down after evening? In Baghdad, most of houses connect to the private power firms to get power at night. When it comes to security, I think no one like Iraqian want it so badly. News about death in Iraq can be heard everyday. What kinds of life they have. I feel bad for them.

Re: floating wind turbine could whip up rain.

Philip — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 21:02:26 GMT

Mashmellow wrote:

An engineer called Stephen Salter outlined his latest idea about turning wind turbines into rain-making machines as follows: a floating wind turbine that sprays water vapour high into the air, to increase evaporation from the ocean and precipitation over land. He says it could help defuse burgeoning conflicts over access to water, stop deserts spreading, improve soil quality, top-up water tables and save rainforest. Sceptics will doubtlessly ask if it can make the tea as well.

can anyone tell me the meaning of the last sentence? it think it is an ironic way to say that some people don't believe what he said and think he was exaggertating the benefit of the machine. But i don't know what "it" refers to in the last sentence. does it refers to" wind turbine" or "the rain made by the wind turbine"? is there any difference between "make the tea" and "make tea"? thank you.

"It" = "floating wind turbine". I think you're correct about the last sentence...sarcasm more than irony, though. I would say "make tea" in general. If tea had been mentioned, adding the article could make sense.

Re: articles in one sentence

Antonija — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 19:19:05 GMT

Hi Demetrius, I mean exactly what you explained with your sentence "...means that men say that adultery is a profitable business in which to be involved''.

Well, it is actually a column of a female author which is full of irony and puns. I'm doing it as a part of my diplomma paper . Perhaps I have chosen the wrong text or too difficult text for me. That is why I need help of people who speak English well as well as of natives.