Puns & Oxymorons
English Language: Edexcel IGCSE - Specification B, topic 2.1.6
Puns
A pun is a joke/a play on words which exploits the different possible meanings of a word - it makes fun of the fact that there are other words which sound the same but have different meanings.
Elephant's weight
- An elephant’s opinion carries a lot of weight.
- In this phrase, the pun happens because of the dual meaning of ‘weight’.
- Firstly, it suggests that an elephant’s opinion is heavy, like the elephant.
- Alternatively, it suggests that an elephant’s opinion is very important (carries a lot of weight).
Library story
- The tallest building in town is the library — it has thousands of stories.
- In this phrase, the pun occurs due to the dual meaning of ‘stories’.
- Firstly, it suggests that the library building is tall because it has a lot of floors (stories). Alternatively, it suggests that the building has a lot of story books because it is a library and houses so many.
Grave man
- Tomorrow, you shall find me a grave man (Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet).
- In this phrase, the pun happens because of the dual meaning of ‘grave’.
- Firstly, it suggests that Mercutio is going to be a very serious (grave) man. Alternatively, it suggests that Mercutio is going end up buried in a grave because he is about to die.
Oxymoron
An oxymoron is when two contrasting ideas are combined for dramatic effect or to create a comedic effect.
Minor crisis
- There was a minor crisis yesterday.
- In this phrase, the two meanings of the words ‘minor crisis’ combine to give the reader pause – oxymorons are not straightforward; they make your reader think.
- A crisis is a time of severe difficulty, and so it cannot be a ‘minor’ event – it literally cannot be a crisis if it is ‘minor’.
Bittersweet
- He laughed at the bittersweet memory.
- In this phrase, the two meanings of the word ‘bittersweet’ give the reader pause – oxymorons are not straightforward; they make your reader think.
- ‘Bitter’ and ‘sweet’ are antonyms (they have opposite meanings), and so things cannot usually be ‘bitter’ and ‘sweet’ at the same time.
Deafening silence
- They stared at each other in the deafening silence.
- In this phrase, the two meanings of the words ‘deafening’ combine to give the reader pause – oxymorons are not straightforward; they make your reader think. Silence, by definition, has no sound – so it literally cannot deafen anyone because there is no noise.
Test yourself on Puns & Oxymorons
Which word in this pun has a double meaning?
A boiled egg every morning is hard to beat.What word does this pun play on?
She wanted a camouflage shirt, but couldn't find one.Which phrase uses an oxymoron?
Which of these are oxymorons?
Which of these is a common oxymoron?