Pun in Poetry

PUN IN POETRY

by DebbielynAdora Worgs-DixonNee

ORIGIN OF PUN​

​English

"mid 17th century: perhaps an abbreviation of obsolete pundigrion, as a fanciful alteration of punctilio".

​What does the following mean?

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Seven days away from school make one weak.

​There is a play on the word "weak"

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​Weak- meaning the person becomes physically or mentally or even academically weaken.

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​and

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​Week- meaning the number of days that constitute a period (7 days making 1 week)!

Examples of Pun!​

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1. "The reporter was at the ice-cream shop getting the scoop".

2. ​"Why are teady bears never hungry? They are always stuffed! (Answer)

​Pun is a skillful play on words. The words usually have meanings that are ambiguous in nature or may have several meanings attached.

​"Why are footballers so cool?"

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​They are cool because they have so many fans!

​ (www.googleimage.com)

​Types of Pun:

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​Homophonic: playing on the sound of the word. Homophones are used. Homophones are words which sound alike but differ in spelling and meaning.

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​Examples:

1. "No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery ".

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2. What has four wheels and flies?

Answer: A garbage truck

​Paronomasia: playing on the meanings of the words.

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Examples: Richard III (By William Shakespeare)

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Launce: “It is no matter if the tied were lost; for it is the unkindest tied that ever any man tied.”

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Richard: “Now is the winter of our discontent … made glorious summer by this Son of York.”

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​* Pun in bold

Multiple Choice

Review

What is a pun?

• Skillful play on words.

• Saying the opposite of what is really meant.

• Making a comparison between two unlike things.

• A gross exaggeration!

Multiple Choice

What is the pun in this poem, With a Book?

"Words shouting, singing, smiling, frowning —Sense lacking. Ah, nothing more obscure than Browning Save blacking."

• Sense

• Browning

• words shouting

• Contains no pun

Multiple Choice

What is the pun in this poem, Of a Girl in White?

"Her starched petticoats giving him the slip."

• Starched

• Petticoats

• Slip

• Not contained in this poem

Multiple Choice

What is the origin of word, "pun?

• French

• Greek

• Latin

• English