节目资讯
刊物:空中英語教室
日期:2012-02-13
难易度:Medium
关键字:catch, misuse, pun, gasp
(Music).
Hello, friends.
Welcome back.
Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to study English with us.
Today we are studying a fun part of English, the humor.
Now English is a very funny language, both with the jokes and even some of the
rules.
So join us on page 28 in your Studio Classroom magazine on line 10 to learn
about some of the funny parts of English.
(Music).
Funny English.
A pun is one of the most common forms of humor in English.
Also known as a "play on words," a pun uses a word that has a double meaning.
Sometimes it uses a word that sounds similar to another word.
Many jokes and riddles are based on puns.
For instance, a guy rushes into the doctor's office and gasps,
"Doctor! Doctor! I think I'm shrinking!" The doctor replies, "Don't worry.
You'll just have to be a little patient." Get it?
The word patient can have two different meanings.
OK. Let's get started as we learn the funny parts of English.
The first one is a pun.
Now this is one of the most common forms of English humor.
Now I use it all the time - I'm sorry to say it's not all that funny - but it
does get a laugh.
Yes. A "pun" can occur when you use two words that have a similar meaning or
sound similar.
And so these words can actually... I'm sorry, have two different meanings.
Oh, OK. So this is really just a play on words.
Now when we say a "play on words," that means we are taking words and mixing
them around to make it entertaining, to make it funny.
Exactly. Now these can lead to some very funny jokes.
But of course, they can also be not as funny too.
That's right. A pun uses a word that has a double meaning.
So there are all kinds of words that sound the same in English, or maybe are
spelled the same.
Or you might use them in a different situation that have a double meaning and
make the joke very funny.
Exactly. Now like you said, Kaylah, it's a play on words.
And of course, you can use words in different ways.
And that is actually what makes it funny is using it in a way that people don't
usually use it, such as having a double meaning.
Well, sometimes it uses a word that sounds like another word.
So Ryan, for example, if we want to use the word "pun" in a pun joke, you could
say that was a very "punny" joke.
Ha... That was a little bit funny, Kaylah.
OK. That was a little bit punny.
But sometimes many jokes and riddles are based on puns.
So they do happen very often.
So you need to know your vocabulary so you understand why a joke is funny
because you need to know both words so the play on words,
the joke between the two words can be understood.
OK. So now you can begin to see how developing an understanding of the English
language will definitely help you improve your humor.
That's right. Well, at least improve your humor in English, which is what we are
doing right now.
Now here is an example of a situation that would use a pun as a joke.
OK.
For example...
Yes. It says, "for instance," here and that's giving an example says, "a guy
rushes into the doctor's office and gasps." OK.
First, let's talk about what that means.
Well, when you "gasp," that means you take in air very quickly and make a noise.
It would sound something like (Background Noise).
OK.
Usually it's when you're surprised.
Yeah, when you're surprised, you... draw that air into your lungs really fast.
And that's what tells them that you're surprised.
Or sometimes when you're scared, maybe you gasp because you're scared.
(Background Noise).
Oh, no!
Exactly. But here we see that he gasps and then says something.
So he says: Doctor! Doctor! I think I'm shrinking!
Now I think a gasp here would be in fear.
I think if he's running into a doctor's office afraid he's shrinking - that
means getting smaller - then he would probably be scared.
Yeah. He says, "I'm getting smaller. I'm shrinking. Something's wrong." And of
course, then the doctor replies.
He says: Don't worry. You just have to be a little patient.
Ah... Do you get it?
So the word "patient" here is what is using the pun.
Kaylah, can you help explain why this is funny?
Absolutely. "Patient" has two meanings.
One of those: Patient is a person who goes to see a doctor.
If you are visiting a doctor, you are his patient.
Also, you have to have "patience." That means you are not in a hurry, you can
take time to sit and wait.
So, can you explain why that's a joke?
Exactly. Not only is the doctor telling the man: Oh, you just need to wait, he's
also saying: Don't worry, you'll just be a small patient.
That's right.
If you are a little patient, that means you can wait for a short amount of time.
But you could also be a little patient, that means a small person visiting a
doctor.
Exactly. So this is a great example of how understanding the English Language
can help you learn and appreciate jokes in English.
And Kaylah, I think it would also help you when people laugh at something you
say.
That's right. Sometimes it's good to know why people are laughing.
It's always good to know that.
But you need to know how to laugh at yourself as well.
Exactly. Learn to have a good sense of humor.
Appreciate the way that English works even though, yes, it is a very funny
language.
That's right.
It's hard to learn sometimes, but we see here our first example of the pun is a
great way to create simple humor.
Exactly. So now we've seen a great example of how to do that.
And of course, we'll see more tomorrow.
Join us then.
Now let's take a look at today's skit.
Ha... English is a funny language.
It's always good for a laugh.
Really?
I don't think so.
Learning English is difficult.
People say funny things, but I don't catch the humor.
I feel left out.
Oh. Well, yeah, that's no fun.
Yeah. So what makes English funny?
Well, lots of things.
Sometimes words have two different meanings.
You can say those words in funny ways.
For example?
Oh. Um... Oh!
Writing with a broken pencil is pointless.
Get it?
No.
Notice I'm not sharing in the laughter?
Well, the word "pointless" has two meanings.
It can mean something that's useless.
Or it can mean something that doesn't have a point, like my broken pencil.
Oh, so writing with a broken pencil is pointless because the pencil doesn't have
a point and it's also useless.
Yeah! When you write something, well, you can't.
So writing with one is useless.
It's pointless.
OK, OK, now I get it.
It's a play on words.
Yes. It's called a pun, P-U-N.
Puns are one of the most common kinds of English jokes.
Oh, really?
Yeah. Mmhm.
I think puns are really punny.
Get it? Not funny, but punny?
Hmm, funny.
Yeah.
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And that's it for today.
Keep up the good work, and I'll see you tomorrow.
Thanks, Michelle.
Really, being able to laugh at yourself is a quality that will help you succeed
in English.
So try to find that healthy balance between studying hard and having fun with
what you're studying.
That's right.
And don't feel bad when you don't get an English joke or pun.
You can ask someone later to explain it to you.
Or you can do what I always do - you can just smile politely and say: I'm sure
what you just said was very funny.
Well, friends, don't forget to call SC tonight and practice your English with a
real live Studio Classroom teacher.
And then join us tomorrow for some more funny English.
Have a great day.