The Art of the Pun

1. 3/18/11 3rd hour Click for the next slide on all slides The Art of the Pun Designed by Hannah Sigg

2. Table of Contents Slide 1 .........................................................The Pun-Humor for Idiots? Slide 2……………………………....……………………………………….The Tom Swifty Slide 3………..………………………………The Homographic and Homophonic Slide 4……………………………………….......…………………………..The Oxymoron Slide 5………………………………….……………..……………………The Spoonerism Slide 6………………………………….......……………………………….The Daffynition Slides 7 & 8…….……………….…………………………………….Shakespeare Puns Slides 9 & 10……………………………………....…………………….…..Bibliography

3. The Pun-Humor for Idiots? • [puhn] noun, verb, punned, pun·ning. • –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. • –verb (used without object) • 3. to make puns. Puns began in the late 17th century and early 18th century England. Originally, it was called a pundigrion. At the time, monosyllables were popular, so they shortened the word to what we now know as a pun. Some people see it as the cheapest form of humor, designed to entertain idiots. My views are completely opposite. Those who hate the pun probably just don’t get them. You have to be endlessly clever to even come up with some of that stuff. It’s a form of art that only true geniuses can create, and understand. As Edgar Allen Poe said, “Of puns, it has been said that those who most dislike them are those who are least able to utter them.”

4. The Tom Swifty Tom Swift was a made-up character, found in a series of children’s books. The writer of these books was Edward L. Stratemeyer. The series started in 1910, and ended in 1993. The pun is made by forming a relationship between what one is doing, and how they do or say it. Examples “Pass me the shellfish,” said Tom crabbily. “Don’t you fire that gun at me!” Tom shot back. “The robber went down the stairs,” said Tom condescendingly. “Baa," said Tom sheepishly. “Who discovered radium?” asked Marie curiously.

5. The Homographic and Homophonic Homographic puns play on the multiple meanings a single word may have. On the other hand, homophonic puns play on words that sound alike, but are spelled differently. These are relatively common types of puns. Examples Homographic “My brother criticized my apartment, so I knocked him flat.” Homophonic Seven days without a pun makes one weak.

6. The Oxymoron An oxymoron is basically a working contradiction. (That’s an oxymoron in itself) It’s a pair of words that are opposites, but still make sense together. Some are based strictly on opinion. Examples Act naturally Black light Bigger half Civil War Original copy Found missing Small crowd Random order Opinionated Examples Microsoft Works Adult male Military Intelligence Common sense Good God

7. The Spoonerism Spoonerisms are typically caused when one mixes up the beginning letters in one word with the beginning of another word when they are speaking. Though often funny, some can be taken offensively. I think they’re quite humorous, though. Examples "Three cheers for our queer old dean!" (dear old queen, referring to Queen Victoria) "The Lord is a shoving leopard." (a loving shepherd) "A blushing crow." (crushing blow) "Is the bean dizzy?" (dean busy)

8. The Daffynition Daffynitions are when you redefine a word. Redefining a word can be considered a pun, if the new definition is humorous or clever. The pronunciation of the word can be changed to fit the definition. Examples Alarms: What an octopus is. Dockyard: A physician's garden. Incongruous: Where bills are passed. Khakis: What you need to start the car in Boston. Pasteurize: Too far to see. Propaganda: A gentlemanly goose. Toboggan: Why we go to an auction.

9. Shakespeare Puns Shakespeare used tons of puns in his writing. The puns he used weren’t funny, though. Most of them were either sarcastic or kind of morbid. The characters say them in ways that are hard to catch, so you have to read through the text a couple times before you get them. That’s how it was for me, at least, and I still don’t get them. Examples Much Ado About Nothing (Act II scene I) Beatrice: “The count is neither sad, nor sick, nor merry, nor well: but civil, count; civil as an orange, and something of that jealous complexion.” Context: Beatrice is referring to the character Claudio. Hint: There is a type of bitter orange that comes from Seville, Spain.

10. Shakespeare Puns Continued Richard III (Act I scene 1) “Now is the winter or our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York…” Context: These are the opening lines of Richard III. King Richard III was the son of the Duke of York. 3. Romeo and Juliet (Act I scene IV) Mercutio: “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.” Romeo: “Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.” Context: Romeo is reluctant to attend a party because he is suffering from a broken heart.

11. Bibliography "BBC - H2g2 - Puns and Other Word Play." BBC - Homepage. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A592643#homographic>. "Pun | Define Pun at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Free Online Dictionary for English Definitions. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pun>. "Spoonerism." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism>. "Tom Swifty." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swifty>.

12. Bibliography Continued "Who Was the Person That Created the Pun? - Yahoo! Answers." Yahoo! Answers - Home. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101007144336AAjtGtm>. Click to end show