humorous play on words literary term

A pun can be constructed in several different ways, based on the meaning or sonics of the words involved. Using spelling for wordplay is a tricky but fun technique that obviously works best when you can see it in written form. In fact, even the protagonist’s name, “Liv Moore,” is a play-on-words (she “lives more” even though she is a zombie). However, the poet’s use of the word “halve” rather than “have” is a clever way of supporting the rest of the poem. Wit is cleverness with words, usually humorous, but not always. We explain what each literary term is and give you an example of how it's used. This meaning also fits with Mercutio’s situation, as his stab wound is fatal. Wordplay’s use extends far beyond jokes and humor. For example, Roses are red/Violets are blue/ Sugar is sweet/ And so are you! This joke relies on two meanings of the word “dressing” for its humor—one for “dressing” as in putting on clothes, and one for mayonnaise being a type of salad “dressing.”. However, puns should be used sparingly so as not to overwhelm or disengage a reader. person or thing working against the main character or hero of a story. Blue : Also called off-color, or risque (from the French word for “to risk”); relies on impropriety or indecency for comic effect. Puns, when used effectively, can enhance interpretation of literary works. Some common examples are boom, achoo, pow, whoosh, bam, tick-tock, click, meow, woof, tweet, and ribbit, just to name a few. Her cat is near the computer to keep an eye on the mouse. This chapter title makes a pun out of “Weapons of Mass Destruction.”, This chapter title, picturing Liv’s cop partner and member of the Seattle Police Department (Seattle PD) makes the pun “Seattle PDA.”, In Winnie the Pooh, Pooh often confuses the sounds of words with their real meaning. Wordplay (or word play, and also called play-on-words) is the Find more ways to say play on words, along with related words, antonyms and example phrases at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. Also, a play on words; a pun. William Shakespeare is known for his clever use of puns for comedic effect. For example, in an episode of the animated series “The Tick,” one of the villains is named “El Seed.” El Seed is leader of an army that intends to “liberate” the plant population. Therefore, “halve” a nice day is a much more accurate, though ironic, end to the poem. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Weasley twins Fred and George open their own magic joke shop. PLAY. The English language alone is said to have more than 25,000 idioms. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. People tend to consider puns as unnecessary or frivolous. All Rights Reserved. Then steered the white moth thither in the night? Humour is a general term signifying a non-serious reaction to the literature by the audience, a light-hearted, frivolous, whimsical reaction, caused by an unexpected departure from reason or sense-a play on words, a clever analogy, an understatement, etc. comparison of two or more similar objects. What had the flower to do with being white. Wilde was a master of word play, and this line from his play “The Importance of Being Earnest” reflects his dexterity when it comes to pun as a literary device. In particular, the character Gloria is known for her mispronunciations and malapropisms when speaking English, which is her second language. Play on words definition, a pun or the act of punning. These techniques can create some very catchy and interesting wordplay. Lord of the Flies, for example, is filled to the brim with allegory. Here are some simple jokes that use wordplay for their humor: Puns are some of the most frequently used forms of wordplay. Start studying Literary Terms Crossword. wordplay - a humorous play on words; "I do it for the pun of it"; "his constant punning irritated her" paronomasia , pun , punning fun , sport , play - verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun"; "he said it in sport" In its second mention, lose is used in the context of misplacing something. This can provide humor and/or a sense of irony for the reader. If “ground zero” of the apocalypse is “at noon,” then it is only possible to have half of a day. The comic book style TV series iZOMBIE is filled with comedic wordplay about brains and zombie life. Therefore, Mercutio’s pun is a play on words that enhances what has befallen him as well as the outcome. Of course, Wilde is playing on the dual meaning of “lose.” In its first mention, lose is used in the context of suffering loss through death. This is understandable since they are similar in nature, yet they are not the same. On other levels, the meaning of “design” in the poem might refer to Intelligent Design or the theory of divine presence in nature. story in which characters, things or actions represent or lead to a strong moral or lesson. The poet may also be questioning whether the poem is an artistic composition on its own or if he is the ultimate designer of the poem. It's a play on words. Cliff Hanger (adventure character from children’s television series “Between the Lions”), Gnomeo and Juliet (animated adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet”), Harley Quinn (fictional character in DC Comics), Truly Scrumptious (“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”), Kim Possible (heroic character from children’s television series of the same name), Sugar Kane Kowalczyk (“Some Like It Hot”), Paige Turner (librarian character from children’s television series “Arthur”), Alfredo Linguini (chef character in Disney’s “Ratatouille”), Holly Golightly (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”), “The road to success is always under construction.” (Lily Tomlin), “Atheism is a non-prophet organization.” (George Carlin), “The cafeteria staff requests sidekicks stop ordering, “You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think.” (, First, the reader must understand the “source material” of the pun in order for it to work. terms used when talking about literature For example, on Modern Family, Gloria says “Don’t give me an old tomato” instead of “Don’t give me an ultimatum”. Biblical Puns. antagonist. Humorous dialogue, funny plot lines and silly scenarios add creativity and interest to literary works. Localized slang and pop culture lingo often rely on wordplay for meaning, and are often filled with idioms (see above). In other words, when a writer utilizes a pun simply for the sake of incorporating a play on words, this doesn’t enhance literary value or enjoyment for the reader. Here we will outline some primary wordplay techniques. While most authors would choose words to fit their rhyme schemes, Dr. Seuss often just makes up new words altogether. One of the oldest puns in the world comes from the book of Judges, which was written some 3,000 years ago. autobiography. Here, Romeo uses wordplay to speak about both dancing and his broken heart. A pun is a literary device that is also known as a “play on words.” Puns involve words with similar or identical sounds but with different meanings. Often a bit nutty, his stories are one-of-a-kind with creative and often totally strange language. the actor who sets the tone of the play, introduces the characters and or explains the plot of the play. In this clip, her husband Jay points out some of the silly mistakes that she makes when speaking: Here, we learn some of Gloria’s errors: “Doggy dog world” instead of “Dog-eat-dog world,” “blessings in the skies” instead of “blessings in disguise,” and so on. The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. For example, if you said “The baker has great buns,” it could be understood in two ways! Though both jokes and puns are forms of humor, jokes frequently rely on comedic rhythm and timing. Learn term:wordplay = a humorous play on words; pun with free interactive flashcards. A double entendre is the use of an ambiguous word or phrase that allows for a second—usually racy—interpretation. Assonance is the matching of vowel sounds in language, while consonance is the matching of consonant sounds. This is a list of words and phrases related to death in alphabetical order. short summary of a humorous event to make a point. Here are some examples of puns in well-known literary works, along with how they add to interpretation: To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.”. Romeo’s dear friend Mercutio is stabbed by Tybalt, and makes this statement during his death scene. This literary elements list is arranged in alphabetical order. This chapter titles makes a pun out of the well-known horror flick “Dawn of the Dead” as Liv and her partner enter a pawn shop. The idea that the speaker is poking fun at death also emphasizes the speaker’s lack of care, and therefore carelessness, with his words. As Owl tries to explain, Pooh continues to tell him that he might need to go lay down. ... COMMON A play on words is a clever or humorous use of a word, ... literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. For example, the structure of a joke is generally dependent upon a “set up” followed by a “punchline.” A punchline delivers the humor of a joke by relieving the tension of the narrative set up through an unlikely or incongruous resolution. analogy. Get an answer for 'In act 3, scene 1, lines 94–95, Mercutio says, "And you shall find me a grave man." Piggy’s glasses represent knowledge, the conch stands for order, and the “beast” re… Cuddon's Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory prefers the dates c. 800-c. 1450, and Harry Shaw's Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms prefers c. 476-c. 1350, but notes that it "may extend to about 1500" (p. 170). This punchline “twist” is intended to induce laughter from an audience. 2. In addition, Wilde’s use of the word “carelessness” is clever wording as well. Mercutio’s pun relies on the dual meanings of the word “grave.” As an adjective, grave describes something that is serious or solemn. The population of Ireland is always Dublin. In addition, puns frequently happen by accident when we are speaking, which is why the phrase “no pun intended” is said so often. The comedy series Modern Family is renowned for its use of all kinds of clever and hilarious wordplay. ... which occurs when a situation is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play. allusion. ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man. Here, when spoken aloud, “I love ewe” sounds like “I love you.” But, the word “ewe” is the term for a female sheep. Using wordplay techniques relies on several different aspects of rhetoric, like spelling, phonetics (sound and pronunciation of words), and semantics (meaning of words). Examples of word play include puns, phonetic mix-ups such as spoonerisms, obscure words and meanings, oddly formed sentences, double entendres, Tom Swifties, shaggy dog jokes, and descriptive character names. Here are some examples from the episode “Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues,” which is a pun, too! Similarly, the word design may reflect the poetic process itself. A pun will often cause a reader to think about various meanings of a word or phrase. Some of the most notable instances of wordplay come in the chapter titles, which each feature a pun based on a combo of popular culture references and brains. An allegory is a story that is used to represent a more general message about real-life (historical) issues and/or events. The play on words is between “cents,” as in coins, and “sense,” as in awareness. Puns are generally intended to be humorous, but they often have a serious purpose as well in literary works. follows the scheme ABCB. chorus. The punchline “Awful!” relieves the tension of the narrative in that the question is answered. From a literary standpoint, the art of creating one is also known as paronomasia, although that word has fallen out of favor in modern times. Hand me that newspaper so we don’t have crosswords. However, if a writer’s use of word play adds meaning to the text by elevating a sense of. This pun is also effective as a play on words of the phrase “common sense,” which is appropriate to the subject of managing finances. Puns are not always meant to be humorous, but they are meant to be a clever play on words. Their play on words also relies on a word or phrase having more than one meaning. Here are some other examples of puns as character names: It can be difficult for people to distinguish between puns and jokes. In addition, it’s important for writers to understand that puns are often limited to a particular language and would not necessarily be effective in translation. Everybody knows Dr. Seuss for his completely unique wordplay and rhymes. Shakespeare creates a play on the word grave that adds a level of tragedy and sense of irony to Mercutio’s death. This would include understanding different meanings of words or phrases, or recognizing an, The second challenge when it comes to creating an effective pun in writing is adding value for the reader. In the series, the evil Lord Voldemort is sometimes called You-Know-Who because it’s considered bad luck to speak his real name. Anecdotal: Named after the word anecdote (which stems from the Greek term meaning “unpublished”); refers to comic personal stories that may be true or partly true but embellished. When I was little, my Dad built me a giant Scrabble board which was big enough to run around on. Puns, however, rely on word play and meanings. There are two main reasons for this difficulty: Here are some reasons that writers incorporate puns into their works: For the most part, writers use puns to evoke a humorous response among their readers. However, it’s quite challenging to create an effective pun when writing. For example, “love at first bite” is a food pun for the idiom “love at first sight,” or, “spilling that glue made a real sticky situation!” uses glue’s main property (stickiness) to make a joke out of the common phrase “sticky situation,” which means a difficult situation. Now that I have graph paper, I guess it’s time to. Another word for play on words. Many writers and poets such as John Dryden, Samuel Johnson, and Ambrose Bierce have claimed that puns are the “lowest form” of humor and wit. a reference to another work of literature, person, or event. First, he refers to Mercurio’s shoes’ “nimble soles,” but says he himself has a “soul of lead”—this means he both has a heavy heart, but also shoe soles of lead would “stake” him to the ground so that he “cannot move,” making it impossible to dance. ; A malaprop is the unintentional misstatement or misuse of a word or phrase, or the accidental substitution of an incorrect word for the correct one, with humorous results. As soon as kids start telling jokes, they starting using wordplay! I wrote a script about the dictionary for my local theatre. What brought the kindred spider to that height. Onomatopoeia are words that phonetically imitate sounds. It’s difficult for crabs to share because they are shellfish. Allegory. I really want to come up with a play on words but I don't know how it will do in front of an audience. allegory. Shakespeare was a master of language and wordplay, and his puns are particularly well known. Glossary of Common Literary Terms ... an exaggeration for emphasis or humorous effect. Literary terms used in drama. You have dancing shoes, So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.”. The punchline is humorous in that the answer is unexpected. It makes language more unique, more interesting, and more witty and amusing than using standard words and phrases. Their play on words also relies on a word or phrase having more than one meaning. It involves using literary devices and techniques like consonance, assonance, spelling, alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme, acronym, pun, and slang (to name a few) to form amusing and often humorous written and oral expressions. What is the literary device being used here, and how is it characteristic of Mercutio?' Those who agree with this sentiment justify it by pointing out that puns are often not genuinely funny and can be grimace inducing for readers. Many types of wordplay will use figures of speech, and vice versa. It’s an especially popular form of wordplay for poetry, nursery rhymes, and children’s literature because of its catchy and rhythmic style. It can have a hidden threat or criticism in it but is not to be taken seriously. In other words, the poet wonders whether the natural design (composition) of the relationship between the flower, moth, and spider has resulted in the moth’s death, or whether it is nature’s design (plan) that governs the plight of the moth. You’re probably pretty familiar with this device, as it is a distinguishing feature of many nursery rhymes and tongue twisters. In the last stanza of this poem, Frost uses pun as a figure of speech through the word “design.” Rather than an attempt at humor, the pun in this poem causes the reader to think more deeply about the meaning of design and the meaning of the poem as well. These differences in meanings may originate from figurative language or use of homophone or homograph. In Conti’s poem, the speaker offers a pun based on the word “halve” and its homophone “have” in the last line. This meaning fits with Mercutio’s statement, as being stabbed is certainly a grave event. I like archery, but it’s hard to see the point. play on words definition: 1. a humorous use of a word with more than one meaning or that sounds like another word: 2. a…. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio.... See full answer below. However, this represents only a small selection; in truth, the actual list includes hundreds of techniques! anecdote. Wordplay (or word play, and also called play-on-words) is the clever and witty use of words and meaning. It can be used by writers and everyday people alike to create interesting and memorable language that often quickly gains popularity and becomes widely understood. As you probably know rhyming is the matching and repetition of sounds. This cute and clever wordplay is a signature feature of Pooh’s thinking. It’s easy to like musicians because they are very upbeat. This is due to the ambiguous and/or difference in meanings for certain words and phrases. Some of the advertisements for their products use some pretty funny wordplay, like this: the Constipation Sensation That’s Gripping the Nation! Acronyms are abbreviations of terms formed by using parts or letters of the original words, like saying “froyo” instead of frozen yogurt or “USA” for United States of America. Naturally, double entendres rely on wordplay for their success, because the words used have a literal and a figurative meaning. allusion. Instead, the person with the dog interprets the second person’s question as a query about the quality of smell of the dog itself. For example, “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”. Here, Fred and George make a risky joke about Voldemort by referring to him in their ad for a trick candy that causes constipation. The use of acronyms is increasingly common in our culture today—both formal and informal—and has risen in popularity over the past decade as texting has become commonplace (think of BRB and TTYL!). A vocabulary list featuring Literary Devices. Copyright © 2021 Literary Devices. It has had an important role in rhetoric going as far back as the classics of literature and philosophy, from Plato to Shakespeare to Mark Twain. "While these words rhyme in English, they were also very similar in the original Hebrew: ayirim for burros and ayarim for boroughs. Here are some examples of puns that may be found in everyday expression: Writers often make clever use of puns when it comes to naming characters. - Word play is motivating and an important component of the word-rich classroom. Charles Dickens. In this clip, Owl is using the word “issue,” and Pooh soon thinks he has a cold…. short summary of a humorous event to make a point. Some types of figures of speech include metaphors, similes, irony, oxymorons, and so on. 13 Essential Literary Terms ... Gulliver’s Travels also provides an example of parody, defined as “a humorous imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing. It is typically an entire book, novel, play… There is layered humor provided by the pun in this line. - Word play requires students to be active learners and capitalizes on possibilities for the social construction of meaning. a joke based on the interplay of homophones — words with the same pronunciation but different meanings analogy. The clip ends with her final mistake—she accidentally ordered Jay a box of baby Jesus’ instead of a box of baby cheeses! They use rhyming lines with assonance, and the pun “You-No-Poo” to make their advertisement comedic and appealing to fellow jokesters. The reader understands that Mr. Worthing has lost one parent to death, and the suggestion that the loss of both his parents is due to misplacement reflects dark humor. Choose from 140 different sets of term:wordplay = a humorous play on words; pun flashcards on Quizlet. In literary terms, a play on words is known as a pun. Definition of a play on words in the Idioms Dictionary. A pun is a literary device that is also known as a “play on words.” Puns involve words with similar or identical sounds but with different meanings. Here’s an example from Romeo and Juliet: Mercutio: “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.”, Romeo:     “Not I, believe me. creates tone, gives setting, introduces some characters, ... humorous play on words indicating different meanings. One great example is the web-sensation pig “Chris P. Bacon,” whose name sounds like “Crispy Bacon”! Imagery: words and phrases that create vivid experiences or a picture for the reader. antagonist. 2 ... not necessarily funny, involving a play on a word with two or more meanings. Like all figures of speech, puns represent artistic and clever use of language on the part of the writer. STUDY. "She looked at the object with suspicion and a magnifying glass." anecdote. In all, wordplay is a wonderful rhetorical device that can serve all kinds of purposes across all kinds of genres and styles. Wordplay never goes out of style and never stops changing and growing, and therefore, it’s an essential and important part of the English language for writers and speakers of all ages. Authors typically use allegory to teach a lesson of some sort. Play On Words funny cartoons from CartoonStock directory - the world's largest on-line collection of cartoons and comics. literary term: Clever or subtle repartee; verbal wit. For example, the if you were to attend a lecture about managing finances entitled “Common Cents,” this features a pun. See more. In fact, many would define it as wordplay in general! ... humorous play on words resulting from two similar words being misused. Puns are figures of speech that rely on a form of word play, whereas jokes are narrative structures intended to create humor and laughter. Q: What did the mayonnaise say when the girl opened the refrigerator? A figure of speech is a word or phrase that has a figurative (not literal) meaning. ... story that uses humorous excessive exaggeration to mock something. - Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions, Definition and Examples of Literary Terms. exposition. There are all different rhyme schemes that writers use, from rhyming every word to just rhyming the first or last word of a line. A play on words is also called a "pun". The terms ‘humour’ and ‘wit’ overlap. An allegory is when an author uses characters or events that represent larger, more abstract ideas. The skeleton model in our biology class is a bonehead. If you stand by the window, I’ll help you out. A pun can be an effective literary device. Yet he also utilized this literary device as a means of enhancing tragic and ironic circumstances as well. Slang is the use of casual and unique language and expressions, and varies depending on age, location, field of work or study, and many other factors. The tenth chapter of the book of Judges tells the tale of 30 sons, who "rode around on thirty burros and lived in thirty boroughs. The cyclist was two tired to win the race. As a noun, grave indicates a place of burial for a dead body and more specifically the area dug in the ground for internment. Here is an example of a well-known joke from the “Monty Python” series: The set up for this joke is that a person’s dog is without a nose, creating wonder in the second person (and the audience, vicariously) as to how the dog uses its sense of smell with no nose. Learn more. Here’s an example from a book you probably know very well, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish: Here, Dr. Seuss needed a creature that rhymes with the word “cans,” so he decided to create one called a “Zans.” You can see the author’s wordplay clearly here—he uses not only made-up words, but rhyming as well; the signature Dr. Seuss style! Puns are most often used to create humor in a text. This is paired with the second use of “design” in the context of an intentional or deliberate plan. similarity; parallelism; comparing two similar things. While some of them are slang, others euphemize the unpleasantness of the subject, or are used in formal contexts.Some of the phrases may carry the meaning of 'kill', or simply contain words related to death. a play on words phrase. A pun is the ultimate form of wordplay and probably the most popular and widely used. When my algebra teacher retired, he wasn’t ready for the aftermath. Double entendre is the double interpretation of a word or phrase, with the secondary meaning usually being funny or risqué. This is a clever use of pun for a character name, as it is both a play on the word “seed” in relation to plants and a play on the legend of El Cid, a medieval Spanish knight and military warrior. Malapropism is incorrect use of a word or phrase when you mean to use another word or phrase that sounds similar. We use acronyms for all kinds of things, though—for example, the recent news about Great Britain’s exit from the European Union has come to be referred to as “Brexit,” combining parts of the words “Britain” and “Exit.”, Alliteration is a technique expressed by repeating the same first consonant sound in a series of words. Assonance creates a rhyming effect, for example, “the fool called a duel with a mule.” Consonance has a pleasing sound, for example, “the shells she shucks are delicious.”. Seven Techniques (And Definitions) For Creating a Play on Words. We can make a distinction, though the difference is certainly not clear-cut. Idioms are popular, culturally understood phrases that generally have a figurative meaning. - Word play calls on students to reflect metacognitively on words, word parts, and context. Wordplay: A type of humor and a literary technique focused on word usage, with the goal of creating humor. Phonetically, the last line reads as “have a nice day.” This cliche is an ironic finish to the poem considering its subject is impending apocalypse and the world’s end. In turn, this can result in the reader expanding their interpretation of the literary work itself in order to find deeper meanings. zeugma: figurative language: A figure of speech in which one verb governs several words, or clauses, each in a different sense. Next year, I’ll spend more thyme growing herbs. On one level, the poet is questioning the “design of darkness,” meaning its composition and construction. What’s more, it is a huge part of all languages and cultures around the globe, used not only by talented writers, speakers, and storytellers, but by all people of all ages. Puns uses multiple meanings and the similar sounds of words to create a humorous affect. The author is demonstrating his or her verbal prowess. Here, Pooh mistakes Owl’s use of the word “issue” as the sound “achoo,” which as you know is associated with sneezing. literary refrence to a familiar thing. Comedy (from the Greek: κωμῳδία, kōmōdía) is a genre of fiction consisting of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. It's usually using one word that has two of more meanings or similar sounds with different meanings to create a funny outcome. Common examples are almost endless, but to name a few, “it’s raining cats and dogs,” “butterflies in my stomach,” “catch a cold,” “rise and shine,” and “chill out” are some idioms that you probably hear every day.

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