The larger the deviation from reality, the greater the certainty of ironic intent.
As an example, consider the following utterance:
(2) 'What lovely weather!'
If (2) is uttered on a warm, sunny day, there is no deviation from reality, and the statement may be interpreted literally. If (2) is uttered on an overcast day, the statement becomes a bit more ambiguous. For example, if torrential downpours had occurred every day during the preceding week, then a day without rain might indeed seem 'lovely'. In this case, the use of the heuristic specified in (A) is problematic; there is a deviation between the utterance and reality, but because it is not extreme, an ironic interpretation may not be warranted. Finally, if (2) is screamed at the hearer over the howling wind, as speaker and hearer crouch in a tornado shelter, the use of (A) allows an ironic interpretation to be made with some certainty. (Kruez 1996)
in Mio, J. S. and A. N. Katz (1996). Metaphor: Implications and Applications. Mahwa, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
This book, 'Metaphor: Implications and Applications' is really getting me going (intellectual excitement as sexual arousal; intellectual excitement as physical excitement; books as women).
It seems to me that irony is going to play a larger role in my study than I thought originally, especially if I go with my 'pope of youtube' data, which is built entirely on an ironic, metaphorical statement.
Apparently Gillian Welch wants to do right, but not right now.
Finally, if I hear anyone ever describe anything but a long trip without the intention of returning as a 'journey', I am going to jump off a building. Just saying something is a journey does not make you any more thoughtful. Give it up.