PUNS, EUPHEMISMS, and IDIOMS

1. PUNS, EUPHEMISMS, and IDIOMS Have you ever thought that translations from one language to another are very literal? Does anything ever get “lost in translation”? Probably. Does some interpretation of language rely on knowledge of the culture of the mainstream users of the language? Possibly. Do you know people who do not “Get” your jokes? Understanding puns, euphemisms, and idioms may help them to “Get the joke.”

2. JOKE WITH PUN IN SPANISH • Doctor, doctor, ¿quétal ha ido el parto? • "Doctor, doctor, how did the birth go?" • - Bueno, todomuybien, pero a suhijo le hemostenidoqueponeroxígeno. • "Well, everything very well, but we have had to put on your son [put your son on] oxygen." [ponerle = "put on him, to administer oxygen to the child “ in this case] • - ¿¿Oxígeno?? Con la ilusiónque a mí me hacíaponerle Federico... • "Oxygen?? And after my heart was so set on calling him Federico . . . " [ponerle = “to name him"] • Do you get this pun in Spanish? Maybe. Maybe not. Do you see that someone learning English is going to have difficulty with puns in English jokes too?

3. Definitions of pun and euphemism • PUN = noun 1.the humorous use of a word or phrase so as to emphasize or suggest its different meanings or applications, or the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound but different in meaning; a play on words.2.the word or phrase used in this way. Ex: An elevator makes ghosts happy because it lifts their spirits. • EUPHEMISM = noun 1.the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt. 2.the expression so substituted: “To pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.”

4. IDIOM DEFINITION • IDIOM =noun 1.an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket  (which is also a euphemism – are you confused yet?) or hang one's head,  or from the general grammatical rules of a language, as the table round  for the round table, and that is not a constituent of a  larger expression of like characteristics. • 2.a language, dialect, or style of speaking peculiar to a people. • 3.a construction or expression of one language whose parts correspond to elements in another language but whose total structure or meaning is not matched in the same way in the second language. • 4.the peculiar character or genius of a language.

5. British idioms • “Bob’s your uncle.” It happened in an instant • “Gordon Bennet!” An exclamation of surprise. • "I say, old chap, that's just not cricket." This relies on understanding that cricket has strict rules, and the “old chap” obviously does not play by acceptable standard rules. • Do you see you might not “get” some of the jokes even in an English speaking country?

6. PUN-explain it

7. EUPHEMISM-explain it

8. IDIOM- explain the cartoon

9. EXTRA CREDIT! • Do you begin to see that you cannot simply translate words and understand what is meant on every occasion? There are double meanings, hidden meanings, subtle meanings, and then there are puns, euphemisms, and idioms. As an extra credit opportunity during this semester, you may bring an illustrated pun, euphemism, or idiom to share with the class. You must explain the wording and what it means. (Ten points of credit). This is a ONE time deal!