Questions tagged [humor]
Questions about humorous expressions, jokes, puns, etc.
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What is so bad about puns?
Many times I've heard of 'pun intended' or 'pun not intended', which I see as a form of excuse in the English-spoken world. However, I can not wrap my head around why are you constantly excusing/...
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What is the first part of a joke called?
How does one refer to the first part of a joke?
The follow up is often referred to as a punchline but I'm unsure how to refer to the first part. Is it a 'joke' or does a 'joke' include the punchline?
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What is this method of joking about a morbid situation called?
What word or phrase could be used to describe a joke about something serious or bad? It isn't meant as humor in the typical sense, but as sort of a brave, different flavor of humor between two friends....
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Verb meaning "to alter someone's famous saying"
I'm looking for a single verb, or at least a succinct way of saying that you are slightly, but intentionally, modifying a famous phrase.
For example, if I were to refer to Alexander the Great's ...
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What does this mean: 'Chuck Norris can lead a horse to water AND make it drink'? Why is it funny?
Chuck Norris can lead a horse to water and make it drink.
I read this on http://chucknorrisfacts.com. What I think this sentence means, is: Chuck Norris can take his horse to where the water is and ...
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Make like a banana
In my area, it's not unusual to hear expressions like
I'm going to make like a banana and split.
...make like a tree and leave.
...make like a baby and head out.
...make like a prom ...
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Closest equivalent to the Chinese jocular use of 职业病 (occupational disease): job creates habits that manifest inappropriately outside work
The Chinese expression 职业病 (zhi ye bing, occupational disease), when used seriously, just means occupational disease, e.g. lung problems caused by working in a chemical factory.
But there is also a ...
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What does this joke between Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra mean?
I have been listening to Dean Martin Pandora radio lately and there is a song medley between Sinatra and Martin. During each song they have little quips back and fourth, and there is one that I don't ...
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What type of humor would racist and sexist jokes be categorized into?
I did not major in literary studies so I do not readily recognize the nuances that are used to distinguish between the various concepts.
It doesn't seem to fit insult comedy since it is rarely told ...
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Colorful term for someone with a long-overdue library book [closed]
I'm trying to find a humorous term for someone who still has an overdue library book after a number of years. I first came up with "delinquent lendee", but I'm sure there's something more apropos or ...
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"Well paint me green and call me a cucumber! I just […]"
Well, [perform some action against me (through which I will be complacent)], and call me a [something humorous which I would then resemble]. [Sincere or feigned exclamation of a recently apparent ...
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Please explain this joke about two nuns in a bath [closed]
I've heard this joke several times, but I'm ashamed to say I really cannot understand it. It just doesn't seem to make any sense however I look at it.
I have a suspicion that it is supposed to be rude,...
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Phrase for criticism/insults concealed with humor
Passive aggressive people will sometimes veil insulting, critical, derogatory or generally aggressive comments with humor. The patina of humor makes the comment seem like a joke, not to be taken ...
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Changing a quotation so that the original is recognised, but has been given a new meaning
I didn't know how to phrase my title to make it meaningful to anyone, and I can't really explain it now, so I shall use an example:
The opening phrase on the DSGB website is "It's counting, Jim, ...
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What is funny in this paraprosdokian?
I was reading the wiki page about paraprosdokians when I come across this sentence.
One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas, how he got in my pajamas, I don't know.
What is funny about it?
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What constitutes humor on this "i before e" coffee mug text? [closed]
I saw this writing on a coffee mug, which is supposedly popular amongst linguists:
i before e
Except after C
and also when you
heinously seize your
feisty foreign neighbor's
conceited beige heifer
...
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What's a the word for people who make fun of themselves?
I don't mean people with low self esteem.
But there are people who feel happy at being able to make other people laugh at their own expense. I remember someone telling me there is a word for them, I ...
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What English homophone corresponds to 'oise salon'?
This is something of a fringe question. I hope it's considered on-topic.
There have been two books published which purport to be French poetry. The joke is that when read aloud, the poetry sounds, ...
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What does humor-challenged mean?
When describing a person as humor-challenged, what does it mean?
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What is the best term to categorize a lolcat image and text?
I've seen the captions described as a dialect, patois, "kitty pidgin" and language play which is well and good but doesn't get to the key visual aspect (silly/cute/adorable cats). Wikipedia offers ...
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What type of wordplay joins two phrases together on a single syllable?
During a South Park episode, Wendy sings a song with a specific type of wordplay in which she ends a sentence and starts a new one with a common word or syllable. This gives the lyrics a double ...
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"After all 7 8 9" joke?
I know that it is very important to be aware of "hidden meanings" of words and phrases. (Especially if the meaning is sexual.) That is why I love Stephen Colbert's "The Word" segments and usually ...
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What makes 'St-n-c-tt-r' a 'smirking pun'?
This passage comes from Walter Isaacson's “Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.”:
Franklin wrote about a husband who caught his wife in bed with a man
named Stonecutter, tried to cut off the ...
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"Analogy is the Delaware of Cognition"
I come across this expression in this public lecture "Analogy as the Core of Cognition" by Douglas Hofstadter. (http://shc.stanford.edu/events/calendar/2006-2-6-douglas-hofstadter-analogy-as-the-core-...
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Does 'droll' have a negative connotation?
I'd taken droll to mean something like drily amusing, but without any implied negativity.
But I've often heard people say
Very droll!
in response to something that they appear to find mildly amusing ...
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Better term for “intellectual jokes”
What can you call a joke, pun, or anything funny that likely needs intelligence to get?
All I can come up with is intellectual jokes; is there another word for this? A one-word answer would be great.
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Starts with N ends in O.... means Yes [closed]
Just wondering if there is a word (or pair of words) that starts with N and ends with O and actually means Yes (or roughly yes... some sort of synonym). I thought this might have some humorous ...
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First communion, then communism?
On a slightly more serious note, what do you call a kid who goes to his first communion?
Surely not a communist, right?
user22210
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What does “Stick it up one’s jumper” mean? Why is it funny?
I saw the phrase “Stick something up one’s jumper” in Jeffery Archer’s short story titled “Member’s Only,” in which Robin Chapman, the hero was kept waiting for 5 years and has to wait for another ...
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Humour through repeated use of a construct, with a final variation?
I am wondering if there is any name, or well-known example, for a humoristic construct that I particularly enjoy. It is exemplified in this monolog from Pierre Desproges, directed at a woman he was ...
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Intentional double negation
Is there a name for this manner of purposely speaking in double negatives, e.g.
I wouldn't say no to a cup of tea!
I've noticed it as a habit of some people, perhaps often going along with a ...
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Word for a phrase that by ambiguity could be accidentally self-deprecating
There is a literary technique in comedies where a person says something intending for it to be reassuring and confident, but their words are humorous because when interpreted differently, the phrase ...
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Is there a word to describe mocking a list by extending it?
For instance, the quote from Douglas Adams:
“In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real ...
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Is the phrase "Take my wife – please!" a paraprosdokian?
I was reading the wiki page about paraprosdokians and I don't understand why the phrase:
Take my wife – please!
is classified as one.
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Where did the phrase "don't spend it all in one store" originate?
I've heard the phrase "don't spend it [money] all in one store" a number of times, virtually always in a joking manner. Where did it originate from and has it always been said as a joke?
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What does the phrase "never the mane shall tweet" mean?
It has long been known that birds will occasionally build nests in the
manes of horses. The only known solution to this problem is to
sprinkle baker's yeast in the mane, for, as we all know, ...
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Insertion of over-specific detail to humorous effect
In Gilmore Girls, describing a debutante ball:
"It's like animals being up for bid at the county fair, except sheep don't wear hoop skirts."
This kind of over-the-top, facetious detail is used ...
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What do you call faking to speak a foreign language?
You can watch examples of this in the following Danny Kaye video that compiles scenes from several of his movies:
Fan Tribute - Danny Kaye: Master of Many Many Tongues...Indeed
Or in Chaplin's "The ...
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British and American slang words for immigrants?
What slang words or phrases do British/American English speakers use for (poor) immigrants?
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"Enter the Fairies" after a sudden clatter or crash?
In my family, who originate from Scotalnd, people cry "enter the fairies!" if something has caused a sudden crash, smash or clatter.
I am guessing it comes from a stage direction, such as from ...
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Most apt word for "sexual humour"
What is the most apt word to describe sexual humour in a movie?
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What does "cup and Chaucer" mean?
I've recently come across a phrase unknown to me: "cup and Chaucer". What does it mean?
Obviously it is connected with the popularity and influence of Geoffrey Chaucer as the Father of English ...
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<Grammar/Style> Ambiguous "it"
I recently stumbled upon this joke employing some grammar:
Q: How can you drop an egg on a concrete floor without cracking it?
A: Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.
My ...
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Is there a term for expressions usually rendered as names but are meant to be humorous?
The expressions about which I am asking are used often on "Prairie Home Companion" when the narrator delivers a list of "fake" credits at the end of the show or at the end of a comic bit.
For example,...
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Word for a false definition used for comedic effect
Is there a word for a false definition given in jest?
I don't know if such a word exists, but I'm interested to know it if it does.
An example of what I mean would be:
Politics - a latin word ...
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Is there a name for this specific category of humor?
I've attempted a few searches, but the terminology escapes me. Is there a simple term or phrase that defines this type of humor? I don't think it's redirected comedy but suspect the word "literal" may ...
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What is the term for this sort of ambiguity? [duplicate]
"Scientists discover emperor penguin colony in Antarctica using satellite images"
This is the title of an article in the Guardian newspaper today.
There must be some clever penguins down ...
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What does "are nines" mean in this context?
I stumbled upon some conversation on the TV show Desperate Housewives (Season 4, Episode 10) and I do not understand what the "nines" and "a three" indicate in the following ...
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What terms describe humorous acceptance of a compliment?
My wife complimented a chef on his delicate fish cookery last night.
Reply: "They're great, these boil-in-the-bag dishes."
I complimented a violinist on his performance recently and ...
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Is there a single word meaning "very funny book"?
Sometimes you read a book that has you convulsing with laughter from the moment you pick it up. For me, one of those books was Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. What do you call this?
Perhaps there isn'...
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