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The pun is the lowest form of humor. There is a tendency, especially among educated males of a certain age, to start to feel themselves quite clever. These fellows, in order to demonstrate their cleverness to the world, being to subject their friends and family with an onslaught of puns. If you know such a punner, and you probably do, don't encourage them by saying things like, "I just love how your mind works" or "I…
The pun is the lowest form of humor. There is a tendency, especially among educated males of a certain age, to start to feel themselves quite clever. These fellows, in order to demonstrate their cleverness to the world, being to subject their friends and family with an onslaught of puns. If you know such a punner, and you probably do, don't encourage them by saying things like, "I just love how your mind works" or "I…
>The assumption that puns are per se contemptible, betrayed by the habit of describing every pun not as a pun, but as a bad pun or a feeble pun, is a sign at once of sheepish docility and desire to seem superior. Puns are good, bad, and indifferent, and only those who lack the wit to make them are unaware of the fact. [0]
[0] Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd Edition
The article provides no evidence about why English, specifically, is great for puns. >> . It has a large vocabulary and a rich stock of homophones from which puns can be made Ok. What about the other 6000 languages? Do they have more/less homophones. French sure has a ton of them. >> It is constantly evolving, with new words being invented and old ones given fresh meanings Yes, like any other language. >> And it is m…
>You would think languages with lots of declinations allow for smart puns too, right? The article doesn't try to argue that richer declensions make puns impossible, just that it makes it harder. I would definitely agree with that.
The pun is the lowest form of humor. There is a tendency, especially among educated males of a certain age, to start to feel themselves quite clever. These fellows, in order to demonstrate their cleverness to the world, being to subject their friends and family with an onslaught of puns. If you know such a punner, and you probably do, don't encourage them by saying things like, "I just love how your mind works" or "I…
To quote a better man than me: >The assumption that puns are per se contemptible, betrayed by the habit of describing every pun not as a pun , but as a bad pun or a feeble pun , is a sign at once of sheepish docility and desire to seem superior. Puns are good, bad, and indifferent, and only those who lack the wit to make them are unaware of the fact. [0] [0] Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd Edition
Because one doesn't know other languages :-)
I know a guy who generates them constantly, in Russian. I even started wondering why Russian is so great language for puns?
The pun is the lowest form of humor. There is a tendency, especially among educated males of a certain age, to start to feel themselves quite clever. These fellows, in order to demonstrate their cleverness to the world, being to subject their friends and family with an onslaught of puns. If you know such a punner, and you probably do, don't encourage them by saying things like, "I just love how your mind works" or "I…
I seem to recall that young children of a certain age delight in puns, but eventually grow out of it as they find other parts of life and language more fascinating. Perhaps it would accordingly be apt to tell adult pun-slingers to find more age-appropriate humour, as one might point an adult devotee of nursery-rhymes toward more adult poetry.
The pun is the lowest form of humor. There is a tendency, especially among educated males of a certain age, to start to feel themselves quite clever. These fellows, in order to demonstrate their cleverness to the world, being to subject their friends and family with an onslaught of puns. If you know such a punner, and you probably do, don't encourage them by saying things like, "I just love how your mind works" or "I…
The pun is the lowest form of humor. There is a tendency, especially among educated males of a certain age, to start to feel themselves quite clever. These fellows, in order to demonstrate their cleverness to the world, being to subject their friends and family with an onslaught of puns. If you know such a punner, and you probably do, don't encourage them by saying things like, "I just love how your mind works" or "I…
The pun is the lowest form of humor. There is a tendency, especially among educated males of a certain age, to start to feel themselves quite clever. These fellows, in order to demonstrate their cleverness to the world, being to subject their friends and family with an onslaught of puns. If you know such a punner, and you probably do, don't encourage them by saying things like, "I just love how your mind works" or "I…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
To quote a better man than me: >The assumption that puns are per se contemptible, betrayed by the habit of describing every pun not as a pun , but as a bad pun or a feeble pun , is a sign at once of sheepish docility and desire to seem superior. Puns are good, bad, and indifferent, and only those who lack the wit to make them are unaware of the fact. [0] [0] Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd Edition
Those who possess the wit but refrain, are the most admirable.
The application of wit seems to me to only be a positive. Humor brings joy. Adding wit to a conversation makes it strictly better.