Fields: “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.” A classic is by William Claude Dukenfield, aka W.C. The 'spoonerism,' in which a speaker transposes words or parts of words to create a phrase that still makes sense, but in an odd or funny way. Puns based on listener interpretation: “An architect in prison complained that the walls were not built to scale.” Homophonic puns (based on homophones, or words that sound alike but have different meanings): “The excitement at the circus is in tents.” 'The humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest different meanings or applications of words having the same or nearly the same sound but different meanings.'īut, the anatomy of a pun goes far beyond this simplistic “play on words.” Here are just a few of the many types Pollack uses to illustrate: It even explains how the brain processes puns. Puns are here to stay, so I might as well learn about their history and place in culture.Īlthough it contains examples of some of the best puns throughout the ages, this is not a “joke book.” It is an attempt to explain how punning revolutionized language. I do appreciate a good pun (not the garden variety with which some people liberally sprinkle all their talk you know who you are!).ģ.

Pollack readily acknowledges that some people dismiss puns as the lowest form of humor. Besides the magnificent title and subtitle itself, three factors made me want to read this book:ġ. While sitting by the fire on a drizzly afternoon, I took a break from thinking my deep important thoughts to read The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics by John Pollack. With an engaging narrative, this book answers fundamental questions: Just what are puns? Why do people make them? How did punning impact the development of human language, and how did that drive creativity and progress? And why, after centuries of decline, does the pun still matter?Īt once entertaining and educational, this engaging book builds a compelling case for the powerful and enduring role of puns in human discourse and innovation, and why they'll always be more than just some antics. Skillfully weaving together stories and evidence from history, brain science, pop culture, literature, anthropology, and humor, The Pun Also Rises is an authoritative yet playful exploration of puns. In The Pun Also Rises, John Pollack-a former World Pun Champion and presidential speechwriter for Bill Clinton-explains why puns matter: They revolutionized language and played a pivotal role in making the modern world possible. A funny, erudite, and provocative exploration of puns, the people who make them, and this derided wordplay's remarkable impact on human history.

The Pun Also Rises by John Pollack