by NELSON MANDELA
Puns: The best of all conversational skills!
With the holiday season upon us, what better occasion to spice up your family dinners or discussions than with a dash of wordplay?
Over Thanksgiving break, I was gobbling up a book of puns, and it occurred to me that Chadwick doesn’t have an official guidebook for puns or wordplay. So here I am, spelling it out for you … to the letter.
Using these simple rules, you’ll undeniably rule as the conversation king—no lion about it! Here are some essential pun-damentals to send you on your way:
Step 1: Brush up on the classics. Shakespeare is pretty much the father of puns. The first work of his was a tragedy–a play on words.
Step 2: Keep an ear out for words with double meanings.
If someone brings up a recent development on an academic topic or news piece, you might ask if the lead researcher happened to be a scarecrow–outstanding in their “field.”
Step 3: Timing is everything. You need to be pun-ctual in your delivery. Jumping into a joke too early, you’ll need to break out the butter because you’re toast. Too tardy in your approach, and you risk someone clocking you.
Step 4: Hit the Two-for-One Specials. Hunt for linguistic bargains! Employing the same word for a subsequent pun is a deal that’ll delight all pun enthusiasts at your table.
Step 5: Enjoy the results. Nothing is more rewarding to a punner than the thrilled reactions of your audience.
It’s a win-win! A disappointed sigh is often as rewarding as a laugh. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a counter-pun.
Once you get a couple of counters, you can open your own diner.
As the holidays unite friends and family, remember that it’s a pun-derful life and embrace the universal appeal of the banter. But beware, fumble the ball and you’ll never get to the goal line.
Best to bring your boots, if you get told to take a hike! It’s not pun-reasonable to respond that way.
More than likely, though, they’ll have to turn the heat up in the room, because you’ll be the coolest one there … snow doubt about it!
The Mainsheet 