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paronomasia

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:58 am
by David McWethy
This one sounded so punny I had to include it.

Re: paronomasia

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 3:14 pm
by Perry Lassiter
I thought it referred to pirhannas in a maze.

Re: paronomasia

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:49 pm
by Slava
Turns out there is a shorter version of this word. PUN.

Wasn't there, perhaps 40 years ago, a comic named Crosby who's specialty this was? Spoonerisms and such. I seem to recall seeing him in a series of beer ads, but can't remember his name.

Re: paronomasia

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 5:23 pm
by David McWethy
Like a chicken on a June bug Slava, my mentor who offered me encouragement from Day One, jumped right on my suggested word:
Turns out there is a shorter version of this word. PUN.
which is why I referred to it as a "punny word"; it wasn't a typo that should have started with an "f".

As as for the "Crosby" guy, I think you're remembering Norm Crosby, who--with Tommy Lasorda and others--did ads for Budweiser Natural Light Beer c. 1979-81.

Re: paronomasia

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 5:50 pm
by Slava
Norm! Thanks for reminding me of his name. He was quite entertaining.

"Chicken on a June bug" has me lost. Can you clue me in on this one? Is it something along the lines of taking the bait?

Re: paronomasia

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:15 pm
by David McWethy
"Like a chicken on a June bug" has the same meaning as "like white on rice"; it's a jocular, (perhaps mostly Southern redneck), non-pejorative way of indicating "acting quickly".

If you'd ever raised what are now called "free-range" chickens, who forage among the weeds in the chicken yard and had seen what happened if a June bug or grasshopper made the error in judgment of landing anywhere near the chickens, you'd see first hand that no time was wasted by what would sooner or later become either a good laying hen or Sunday dinner.