Calembour: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings
Etymology/Term:
The term “calembour” has its roots in the French language, where it originally referred to a pun or play on words. It is synonymous with the more widely used English term “pun.” The word “calembour” itself is a French adaptation of the Italian word “calambur,” which also denotes a play on words.
Literal and Conceptual Meanings:
| Literal Meaning | Conceptual Meaning |
| A play on words that exploits multiple meanings or similar sounds of a term. | Humorous or clever wordplay that adds wit or amusement to a statement. |
| Involves using a word in a way that suggests two or more interpretations. | Often used for comedic effect, creating a lighthearted or entertaining tone. |
| Utilizes the ambiguity or double entendre of language for expressive purposes. | Can be employed to convey deeper meanings or commentary through linguistic cleverness. |
Calembour: Definition as a Literary Device
A calembour, commonly known as a pun, is a literary device characterized by the clever use of words that sound similar or have multiple meanings. It involves a play on words, exploiting linguistic ambiguity to create humor, wit, or a clever twist in the narrative. Calembours add a layer of linguistic richness to literature, providing both entertainment and a means of expressing subtle nuances or commentary through the artful manipulation of language.
Calembour: Types and Examples
| Type | Description | Example |
| Homophonic Puns | Relies on words that sound similar but may have different meanings. | “I used to be a baker because I kneaded dough.” |
| Homographic Puns | Involves words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. | “The gardener’s rake was outstanding in his field.” |
| Double Entendre | Utilizes a word or phrase with a double meaning, often one of which is risqué or humorous. | “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” |
| Compound Puns | Incorporates multiple wordplays within the same sentence or context. | “I’m reading a book on anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.” |
These examples showcase the diverse ways in which calembours, or puns, can be employed to play with language and create humor or clever twists in expression.
Calembour: Examples in Everyday Life
- Homophonic Pun:
- Example: “I’m reading a book on anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.”
- Explanation: The pun here lies in the double meaning of “put down.” While it initially suggests the difficulty of stopping reading, it cleverly turns into a play on words, as “put down” can also mean physically placing something down.
- Homographic Pun:
- Example: “The gardener’s rake was outstanding in his field.”
- Explanation: This pun plays on the double meaning of “outstanding.” While it initially suggests excellence, it humorously shifts to a literal interpretation, with the rake standing out in the field.
- Double Entendre:
- Example: “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”
- Explanation: This sentence contains a play on the word “flies,” which can refer to both the passage of time and the insect. The unexpected twist adds humor to the statement.
- Compound Pun:
- Example: “I used to be a baker because I kneaded dough, but now I’m a banker because I need more dough.”
- Explanation: This compound pun cleverly combines two separate wordplays, one with “kneaded dough” and the other with the financial “need more dough,” creating a humorous narrative.
- Homophonic Pun:
- Example: “I used to be a baker because I needed dough.”
- Explanation: The pun lies in the similarity of pronunciation between “needed” and “kneaded.” While it initially seems like a straightforward statement about a baker needing money, the wordplay adds a layer of humor by referencing the kneading of bread dough.
- Homographic Pun:
- Example: “The math professor is excellent at deriving equations but not relationships.”
- Explanation: Here, “deriving” is used in its mathematical sense, but the pun comes in when it is contrasted with the emotional context of relationships, creating a clever play on the word.
- Double Entendre:
- Example: “She had a photographic memory but never developed it.”
- Explanation: The double meaning of “developed” adds a humorous twist to the statement, as it is commonly used in both the context of memory recall and the process of developing photographs.
- Compound Pun:
- Example: “I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.”
- Explanation: This compound pun involves a play on words with “looked surprised,” as it can mean both appearing astonished and physically having eyebrows raised.
- Homophonic Pun:
- Example: “Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything.”
- Explanation: The pun here is based on the double meaning of “make up.” While it initially suggests the composition of atoms, it cleverly shifts to a colloquial sense of someone being deceitful.
- Homographic Pun:
- Example: “I used to be a baker because I needed dough, but then I realized I had a different calling—making a lot of bread in the stock market.”
- Explanation: This example combines the puns involving “kneaded dough” and “making a lot of bread,” humorously connecting the baking and financial contexts.
Calembour in Literature: Suggested Readings
- Abrams, M.H., and Geoffrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Cengage Learning, 2014.
- Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Macmillan, 1865.
- Cuddon, J.A. A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.
- Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. Penguin, 1999.
- Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. Oxford University Press, 1726.
- Wilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest. Dover Publications, 1990.
- Pynchon, Thomas. The Crying of Lot 49. Harper Perennial, 1966.
- Joyce, James. Ulysses. Vintage, 1990.
- Carroll, Lewis. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. Macmillan, 1871.