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- Word Play Examples: Anthimeria. Anthimeria is a type of word play in which a word is employed using a different part of speech than what is typically associated with that word.
- Word Play Examples: Double Entendre. A double entendre is a form of word play in which a word or phrase is used ambiguously, meaning the reader can interpret it in multiple ways.
- Word Play Examples: Kenning. The kenning is a type of metaphor that was popular among medieval poets. It is a phrase, usually two nouns, that describes something figuratively, often using words only somewhat related to the object being described.
- Word Play Examples: Malapropism. A malapropism is a device primarily used in dialogue. It is employed when the correct word in a sentence is replaced with a similar-sounding word or phrase that has an entirely different meaning.
Jan 22, 2024 · A play on words (or wordplay) is a literary technique in which a writer takes advantage of the ambiguities and sounds of words to produce new and surprising meanings. This clever use of language shows the speaker or writer’s skill, grabs the audience’s attention, and often has a humorous effect.
- Kassiani
- I. What Is Wordplay?
- II. Examples of Wordplay
- III. Wordplay Techniques
- IV. Importance of Wordplay
- V. Examples of Wordplay in Literature
- VII. Related Terms
- VIII. Conclusion
Wordplay (or word play, and also called play-on-words) is the clever and witty use of words and meaning. It involves using literary devicesand techniques like consonance, assonance, spelling, alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme, acronym, pun, and slang (to name a few) to form amusing and often humorous written and oral expressions. Using wordplay tec...
Here are some simple jokes that use wordplay for their humor: Q: What did the ram say to his wife? A: I love ewe. Puns are some of the most frequently used forms of wordplay. Here, when spoken aloud, “I love ewe” sounds like “I love you.” But, the word “ewe” is the term for a female sheep. Q: What did the mayonnaise say when the girl opened the ref...
Here we will outline some primary wordplay techniques. However, this represents only a small selection; in truth, the actual list includes hundreds of techniques!
Wordplay’s use extends far beyond jokes and humor. It makes language more unique, more interesting, and more witty and amusing than using standard words and phrases. It has had an important role in rhetoric going as far back as the classics of literature and philosophy, from Plato to Shakespeare to Mark Twain. What’s more, it is a huge part of all ...
Example 1
Everybody knows Dr. Seuss for his completely unique wordplay and rhymes. Often a bit nutty, his stories are one-of-a-kind with creative and often totally strange language. While most authors would choose words to fit their rhyme schemes, Dr. Seuss often just makes up new words altogether. Here’s an example from a book you probably know very well, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish: Here, Dr. Seuss needed a creature that rhymes with the word “cans,” so he decided to create one called a “Zans...
Example 2
Shakespeare was a master of language and wordplay, and his puns are particularly well known. Here’s an example from Romeo and Juliet: Here, Romeo uses wordplay to speak about both dancing and his broken heart. First, he refers to Mercurio’s shoes’ “nimble soles,” but says he himself has a “soul of lead”—this means he both has a heavy heart, but also shoe soles of lead would “stake” him to the ground so that he “cannot move,” making it impossible to dance.
Example 3
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Weasley twins Fred and George open their own magic joke shop. Some of the advertisements for their products use some pretty funny wordplay, like this: In the series, the evil Lord Voldemort is sometimes called You-Know-Who because it’s considered bad luck to speak his real name. Here, Fred and George make a risky joke about Voldemort by referring to him in their ad for a trick candy that causes constipation. They use rhyming lines with assonance,...
Figure of Speech
A figure of speech is a word or phrase that has a figurative (not literal) meaning. Many types of wordplay will use figures of speech, and vice versa. Some types of figures of speech include metaphors, similes, irony, oxymorons, and so on.
In all, wordplay is a wonderful rhetorical device that can serve all kinds of purposes across all kinds of genres and styles. It can be used by writers and everyday people alike to create interesting and memorable language that often quickly gains popularity and becomes widely understood. Wordplay never goes out of style and never stops changing an...
idiom. Add to word list. Add to word list. a humorous use of a word with more than one meaning or that sounds like another word: The name of the store - "Strata Various" - is a play on words, because it sounds like Stradivarius, the famous violin maker. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
Definition of Word Play. Word play is a literary device, used as a form of wit. In this device, words are used in such a way that they become the main subject of conversation for entertainment and amusement. There are different types of wordplays. It is also called play upon words or play-on-words. Different dictionaries define word play as the ...
Apr 3, 2017 · Updated on April 03, 2017. A pun is a play on words, either on different senses of the same word or on the similar sense or sound of different words. Known in rhetoric as paronomasia . Puns are figures of speech based on the inherent ambiguities of language.
A word or turn of phrase with a double meaning, a pun or other humorous use of language. For example, Shakespeare was a master at plays on words—his dramas are full of puns . [First half of 1700s]
