This week: Have a PUNderful New Year! Edited by: eyestar~* More Newsletters By This Editor
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Happy New Year readers! I am happy to be a guest editor for this edition with a little Pun whimsy in this Punderful New Year!
“Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel.”
― Jean Racine
“Life doesn't make any sense, and we all pretend it does. Comedy's job is to point out that it doesn't make sense, and that it doesn't make much difference anyway.”
― Eric Idle
“As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it.”
― Lao Tzu
"Charlotte Bronte is a breath of fresh air." [Eyre].
"What makes "Civil Disobedience" such a great essay? Thorough [Thoreau] editing."
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PUNS
I was scrolling the newsfeed one day and found Sum1's Home! sharing jokes, which led to his new endeavour : "Smile! (Groan?) You Know You Love These!" . I had a good time and thought it would be great to set laughter as the tone for the new year. So.... I read up on PUNS!
"New Year's Resolutions are things that go in one year and out the other."
What is a pun?
According to Wikipedia, a pun is a small word for PARANOMASIA! It refers to a form of word play which uses "multiple meanings of a term or similar sounding words for a humourous or rhetorical effect."
The form has a long history and can be found in Ancient Egypt in myth and dream interpretations, in the Hebrew Bible, in Japan and even in Mayan language. The Roman playwright Plautus was famous for them.
Examples include the line from scripture "Upon this rock I will build my church". People would have known the reference to Peter as it means rock in Greek.
One of the oldest puns comes from the Hebrew bible Judges referring to sons "riding 30 burrows, living in 30 burroughs. The original Hebrew words sound similar as well. ayirim for burros and ayarim for boroughs.
I was surprised at the depth and complexity of the form, which has several types, like Homophonic, Homographic, Compounded, and even Visual puns. Many are basic homophone types using words that sound the same as in the pun on "profit" by George Carlin. "Atheism is a non-prophet organization."
Puns are often in jokes and are sources of comedy, often in punchlines that give meaning to a story. The useage and meaning are specific to a language or culture as one would need to know the reference or words to get the joke.
"A clown held the door open for me. It was a nice jester."
One of my favourites to use with kids is:
"I’m super friendly with 25 letters of the alphabet.
I just don’t know Y."
You would have to know the English alphabet and word "why" to understand it.
Puns are also used in titles, names, character names, advertisements as they are attention getters and have mnemonic qualities. Examples are:
"Curl up and Dye" as a name for a hair salon.
"Cane and Able" for mobility health care.
"IDK asked why Marvel hasn't thought to put ads on the HULK. He is essentially a giant banner."
Even in the media, word play is used in rhetoric to get attention to an issue or headline.
Literature. both poetry and novel, is filled with examples of puns as well. Authors like Oscar Wilde, John Donne, Charles Dickens, Madeleine L"engle and of course, Shakespeare often used puns, even non humourous ones.
“Now is the winter or our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York…”
Richard 111, (sun for son of York}
"Oh that this too sullied flesh would melt,
thaw and resolve itself into a dew"
by Hamlet
(a dew for "Adieu" as he wants to die)
In Alice and Wonderland notice the play on "tale"!
"Mine is a long and a sad tale!" said the Mouse, turning to Alice, and sighing. "It is a long tail, certainly," said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse's tail; "but why do you call it sad?"
Puns may make us laugh but also ponder on something from a different angle.
According to Alfred Hitchcock, "puns are the highest form of literature."
I think it does take a crafty, intelligence to create them, weave them into a meaningful tale and then to decipher them as a reader.
Then there are just the joke puns that one wants to shake one's head at! Yet, we laugh anyway as they are so bad! I found out there are even pun contests, even for bad puns!
"I love when Candycanes are in mint condition."
There you have it, a little bit about the magic of puns! And if you are are looking for some help in creating puns, check out, (you won't believe it....) a site called https://punpedia.org/
Have fun and remember:
Laugh in 2019. Make it a habit!
Raise the vibration, knowing that everything is a point of view
and we create with our thoughts..
so let them be good ones!
Thanks for reading! Happy New Year wishes!
eyestar
Sources of Information and quotes
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-puns-in-literature.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pun
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-puns-in-literature.html
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a15872842/in-defense-of-puns/
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Enjoy some WDC punsters!
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DO you DARE create a PUN? Or have one to share? Send it to me and lettuce laugh together.
Thank you kind readers for your comments and helpful feedback on "Comedy Newsletter (August 29, 2018)" .
Jacqueline
"I love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I also loved both movies. A river of Chocolate would be delightful to ride down. My children loved James and the giant peach and Matilda and the B.F.G. as yet i have not read any of his other stories."
I love chocolate too. Sounds like you have read the best!
papadoc1
"It was with great joy that I read your Comedy NL and, as you admit that you do not write comedy, trust my judgement that as far as Guest Columnists go, you did a grande job! In fact, I think you did better than some former comic-like editors and then some! SPECIAL THANKS for going over the life and times of a man whose depth and fame I knew nothing of - until this evening! WOW, so many well-received books for so many children! Right up there with Dr. Seuss, I think! Once again, in the world of writing, your efforts are well received! Keep on keeping on!"
Thanks. Glad to give your more goodies!
Ilmawritten
"Hello. I'd like to complain about the spelling. Consistently, throughout this article, you spell 'Roald' as 'Raold'. Likewise, it is 'Spielburg', not 'Speilburg'. Additionally, it's spelt 'Onomatopoeia', not 'Onomatepea'. In addition to these misspellings, Mr Editor, I would like to draw your attention to a research error. Near the end of this article, you imply that Roald Dahl invented the term 'Delumptious'. Roald Dahl did not invent the term 'Delumptious'. Enid Blyton, the author of the Famous Five, did.
Wishing you well, "
OOPS. Sorry. One of those dislexic moments! I hear the name with "oa"! And how I missed 'Onomatopeia" I have no idea as I usually spell well. Thanks for the specific headsup. And for your information on the Enid Blyton word. I have not read her and in the articles I read the word was in his dictionary. It makes sense that he sourced it from her. I may have to do some research into this author. Thank you so much. I have fixed up the errors. |
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