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Wordplay
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to 'play' with words to create effects like humour, meaning distortion and dysphemism; the nearest Classical term is paronomasia: para 'alongside' and onomos 'name'
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Examples
Alfred Hitchcock
Puns are the highest form of literature.
Puns are the highest form of literature.
Purpose & Usage
Wordplay involves deviating from the meaning of a source word for comic, persuasive and intellectual effects. We can deviate from the meaning by playing with the pronunciation, spelling and orthography of words. The following are common types of wordplay.
Anthimeria/Antimeria
We can create new or unusual meanings by substituting parts of speech. Anthimeria swaps one part of speech with another, such as a noun for a verb or vice versa. Shakespeare did this extensively to coin words expressing new and extended meanings.
Anthimeria might seem unnecessary today because English has a vast lexicon. People may object to word classes being swapped, but language typically evolves like this.
Anthimeria might seem unnecessary today because English has a vast lexicon. People may object to word classes being swapped, but language typically evolves like this.
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Shakespeare
I'll unhair my head. Lord Angelo dukes it well. His complexion is perfect gallows. The thunder would not peace at my bidding. |
Modern Day
I'll Google it. That video weirded me out. Why not gift it to a loved one? The transport workers strike will impact commuters. |
Homophonic Pun
Jonathan Swift
Punning is a talent which no man affects to despise, but he that is without it.
Punning is a talent which no man affects to despise, but he that is without it.
We can amuse with homophonic puns. These play with words that sound similar or the same but mean differently.
Examples
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A good pun is its own reword.
Douglas Adams
You can tune a guitar, but you can't tuna fish. Unless of course, you play bass.
Lewis Carroll
'You see the earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis'
'Talking of axes,' said the Duchess, 'chop off her head!' |
infamy → in for me
Carry on Cleo, Anglo-Amalgamated Productions, 1964
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Homographic Pun
We can amuse with homographic puns. These words or expressions look the same but mean differently.
Examples
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Corduroy pillows are making headlines.
The best way to communicate with a fish is to drop them a line. Newspaper Headline Juvenile court tries shooting defendant Douglas Adams You can tune a guitar, but you can't tuna fish. Unless of course, you play bass. |
Homophonic and homographic puns are sometimes used in advertising and product names because wordplays make these more memorable.
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Hair Salon Name
Curl Up and Dye Flower Shop Name Floral and Hardy Cooking Utensil Name Wok and Roll |
Fish and Chip Shop Name
Fins Can Only Get Batter New York Bar Name Time Flies When You're Drinking Rum Camping Store Advertisement Now is the discount of our winter tents. (also parody) |
Polyptoton
We can emphasize with polyptoton. This repeats words derived from the same root for emphatic and repetitive effects.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Shakespeare
The Greeks are strong, and skillful to their strength.
Fierce to their skill, and to their fierceness valiant.
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Shakespeare
The Greeks are strong, and skillful to their strength.
Fierce to their skill, and to their fierceness valiant.
Double-Entendre
We can use double-entendre to play with words or expressions to create risque or sexual meanings.
Examples
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James Bond Character: Pussy Galore
Oliver Twist Character: Master Bates Dorothy Parker
What's the difference between an enzyme and a hormone? You can't hear an enzyme.
Charles Dickens
When she spoke, Tom held his breath, so eagerly he listened; when she sang, he sat like one entranced. She touched his organ, and from that bright epoch even it, the old companion of his happiest hours, incapable as he had thought of elevation, began a new and deified existence.
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British comedy often used double-entendre before sex was more freely discussed and shown in the media. It remains common in speech and jokes (double-entendre, not sex).
OEG Classic Movies
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P.G. Wodehouse
His name, when he died, would not live forever in England's annals. He was spared the pain of worrying about this by the fact that he had no desire to live forever in England's annals.
Mispronunciation & Misspelling
Slightly different from the homophonic and homographic wordplay above, we can misspell or mispronounce words for critical purposes. This includes nicknames and dysphemism.
Examples
The British called Napoleon Bonaparte Boney
Winston Churchill mispronounced 'Nazis' as Nasties
Winston Churchill mispronounced 'Nazis' as Nasties
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Wordplays are sophisticated. Like irony and parody, wordplay makes intellectual demands on audiences. Those who get the innuendo, joke or reference momentarily bond as comedy insiders or 'Us'. Those who don't, and those the wordplay targets, are outsiders or 'Them'.
Non-Standard Orthography
We can play with orthography to create comical or emphatic effects. We see this in electronic communications where the SHOUTY capitals and ??? !!! punctuation symbols live. These wordplays are perhaps less admired, but still are wordplays because words and punctuation are being played with. The following poem describes male impotence by playing with orthography.
Roger McGough
ONCE I LIVED IN CAPITALS
MY LIFE INTENSELY PHALLIC
but now i'm sadly lowercase
with the occasional italic.
ONCE I LIVED IN CAPITALS
MY LIFE INTENSELY PHALLIC
but now i'm sadly lowercase
with the occasional italic.
The success of wordplay depends on theories and effects of laughter.