Paronomasia

[Dr. Goodword]

• paronomasia •

Pronunciation: pæ-rê-nê-may-zhê, -z(h)ee-ê • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: Word play based on sound similarities, punning.

Notes: Paronomasia usually means "pun", but it actually covers other forms of wordplay, too. Using two different words in the same phrase also counts as paronomasia, e.g. 'pour out corruption from every pore'. Careful that you do not substitute A for the first O in this word: paranomasia. The adjective for this word is paronomastic or, if you need an extra syllable, paronomastical. However, for the adverb you must include the meaningless suffix -al: paronomastically.

In Play: A person who has just literally tied up someone else and who answers the telephone for that person and tells the caller, "He's all tied up right now," commits paronomasia. The names of the players in Dr. Goodword's examples are paronomastic: Maude Lynn Dresser, Amanda Lynn Player, Susan Liddy-Gates. My all-time favorite paronomasia involves a father who bought a cattle ranch for his sons, naming it the "Focus Ranch" because it was where the sons raise meat (sun's rays meet).

Word History: Today's Good Word traces its origins back to ancient Greek paronomasia, composed of para "beside, beyond" + onomasia "naming", which went into the making of the verb paronomazein "to alter slightly the naming". Para came from Proto-Indo-European por-/per-/pr- "at, near, before", found also in Latin per "through, across" and English for, fore- and far. Onomasia was derivative of onoma "name". Onoma came from PIE no-men "name", which came through English's Germanic ancestors as name. The Greek word went into the making of onomastic "related to names or naming" and into all the words on -onym: homonym, synonym, antonym, etc. (Let's now braid together few words of gratitude for Larry Brady, the contributor of today's very select Good Word.)

[LukeJavan8]

Thanks, Larry. New one to me, but I don't think it'll catch on here.

[wurdpurrson]

I first heard the paronomasia about the Focus Ranch (also called, perhaps erroneously, the Solar Apex Ranch) in 1961, but it was presented as a triple example, adding "the place where the sons raze meat". It obviously wasn't referring to a dairy operation.

[bnjtokyo]

I heard those boys all married women who happened to be named "Ray," and they all lived happily in the Focus Ranch house at the centre of the spread.

[wurdpurrson]

I'd think the wives' names would be spelled "Rae", the more common feminine form of the name. Did they perhaps also raise Cain as they met at that central room (those naughty Raes)?

[George Kovac]

From steel guitarist Buddy Emmon's obit in today's NYT is this terrible bit of paronomasia:

<<He not only played but also perfected the instrument, designing his own signature model, the Emmons Guitar, and continuing to fiddle with the mechanisms through his Emmons Guitar Company. >>

[Slava]

I'd think the wives' names would be spelled "Rae", the more common feminine form of the name. Did they perhaps also raise Cain as they met at that central room (those naughty Raes)?

And Cain's nickname was "Sugar"?

[misterdoe]

Years and years ago, the comic strip Hagar the Horrible did a one-paneler with Hagar in just shorts yelling at a man with measuring tape around his shoulders and holding scissors and fabric. His wife was nearby on the phone, telling someone that "Hagar's having a fit at his tailor."

[misterdoe]

An example from the Big Bang Theory: After Raj's sister Priya had put Sheldon in his place after something he said, Leonard responded with, "My girl's licensed to practice law in three countries and your face!" Even Sheldon had to take a moment to let that one sink in.