I think it's sarcasm, actually? The target of my wit was not the mad typographers of Google, but rather the HN commentors who like to sprinkle comment threads on awe-inspiring subjects with dismissive pedantry. Sometimes it feels as though the CDC could announce that a universal cure for cancer has passed its phase 3 clinical trials, and the median HN response would be: "does this page really need to load 170kb worth of CSS? And why does it degrade so badly when I run NoScript?"
Or like the way that some people, when confronted with the awsome ineffable magnitude of my sense of humour...
Gosh, there is a lot of depth to language. I like lisper's note because there are a lot of people whose first language is not English and may not know the difference; I like your rejoinder that it was sarcasm against another audience, but was ironic humor to Google. (We can write to multiple audiences at once, no?)
And now here's a font complete enough that perhaps I can find the right glyph to punctuate the idea. We need something with a bit more nuance than the interrobang, I think.
Just to be clear, I quite liked Lister's note as well. I'm a language nerd myself, and always appreciate having more opportunities to cheekily overload some entendres.
sarcasm derives from the ancient greek meaning 'tearing of the flesh'. Sarcasm is intended to wound the recipient. Ironic humor is also a poke, but only tickles. I suggest a new word 'gargalism'.
Or like the way that some people, when confronted with the awsome ineffable magnitude of my sense of humour...
</Ironic_humor> ;-)