Friday, May 15, 2020

15 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 64

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

There are those who say the pun is the lowest form of humor. They are woefully mistaken.

The pun -  wordplay - is one of the more complex forms of language use. Perhaps the disdain in which they are held by so many is a result of those persons' linguistic incapacity. What, after all, could be more rewarding than hearing an audience groan at the revelation of one's pun? Frankly, I can think of nothing I'd rather hear than that brief, unbelieving silence followed by a groan of - dare I say it? - admiration.
Sad to say, I assume this won't actually be happening today, as every other event in the world has been canceled, but were things as they ought to be, today we would be celebrating O Henry Pun-Off Day.
 
If you'd like a look at the world of puns, I can heartily recommend The Pun Also Rises, by John Pollack. This is a fascinating and fun look at the world of wordplay and language.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

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