Prof:
Sarcasm: From the the Poly-Malay words Sars Chasm, meaning the Chasm between areas where SARS can be and cannot be found. Due to degradation over languages and time the words Sars Chasm, slowly has become blended together, and in todays English is now one word, with a different meaning, yet still some what related to the old connotation.Sent at 1:50 AM on Friday
Today sarcasm, means laughing at anothers misfortune. The history to this meaning dates back to the SARS crisis in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2003. The city officials at the time (one possible being Cardinal Offishal, who was believed to be the head official or offishal) decided to boost the sinking image of the city by hiring late nite American funny man Conan O'Brien.
As was his typical routine for his late nite act he would open with a monologue wit subpar material. Not funny by most standards. But laughter was usually reached due to the idiocy that O'Brien would actually think that it would incite genuine laugh. During his Toronto shows, he did not change his routine, and many people laughed at the expense of Mr. O'Brien. Some laughed so hard that they were hospitalized. And since SARS was mainly found in medical areas in the city some people from this shows contracted SARS and became ill. Hence the explanation from the old meaning to todays.
Sarcasm: laughing at Conan O'Brien attempting a lame joke, and ending up in a hospital with SARS. From laughing in a place that had no SARS and now being in a place that has SARS.
there you go. I didn't spell check it.
*editors note: Cardinal Offishal = Kardinal Offishal