# puns in your language



## irisheyes0583

Hi, I was hoping that we could start a thread on puns/plays-on-words in your language. I really love puns because they are virtually un-translatable and really push us to understand subtle nuances of a language. 

BTW, according to Dictionary.com, the definition of a pun is:

*pun* (pʌn) _n._: A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.

Okay, so here are just a few:

-Peacocks are meticulous because they show attention to de tail.
-I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.
-Police were called to a daycare where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
-A prisoner's favorite punctuation mark is the period. It marks the end of his sentence.
-Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you A-flat minor.


----------



## Roi Marphille

Hi, 
I'm not sure about this one in Spanish, I've just made it up. 

"detuvieron al policía porqué tenía dos *esposas*" 

is that it?


There are these tongue-twister in Catalan, I'm not sure if we may consider them puns...

"Si qui deu deu diu que deu deu diu el que deu i deu el que diu." 
Translation: If the one who owes ten says that he owes ten he is saying what he owes and he's owing what he says.

cheers, 

Roi


----------



## irisheyes0583

Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> Hi,
> I'm not sure about this one in Spanish, I've just made it up.
> 
> "detuvieron al policía porqué tenía dos *esposas*"
> 
> is that it?
> 
> 
> There are these tongue-twister in Catalan, I'm not sure if we may consider them puns...
> 
> "Si qui deu deu diu que deu deu diu el que deu i deu el que diu."
> Translation: If the one who owes ten says that he owes ten he is saying what he owes and he's owing what he says.
> 
> 
> Haha, I don't get it! (This is what I mean about puns pushing me to understand better). What is the double-meaning of esposas?
> cheers,
> 
> Roi


----------



## Roi Marphille

esposas = handcuffs and also wives


----------



## irisheyes0583

Ha ha, very good!


----------



## jess oh seven

Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> 
> "Si qui deu deu diu que deu deu diu el que deu i deu el que diu."
> Translation: If the one who owes ten says that he owes ten he is saying what he owes and he's owing what he says.
> 
> cheers,
> 
> Roi


haha our catalan teacher taught us that


----------



## Fernando

About marriage:

Dios quiso que entre casado y cansado sólo hubiera una letra de diferencia.

There is only one letter difference between tired (cansado) and married (casado).

It think it is Lope de Vega's.


----------



## hald

Il ne faut jamais parler sèchement à un Numide (that one comes from Astérix)

On ne dit pas "un ingrat", mais "Gimli a pris du poids". 

Qu'est-ce qu'un nain intelligent ?
Un nain tellectuel.


----------



## belén

And I remember this sentence from one of Mecano's songs:

- Amar es el comienzo de la palabra amargura..


----------



## Roi Marphille

a funny one, from a song: 
"remember my member"


----------



## Alundra

Me llamo Paco, pero me puedes llamar Pa-comé (para comer)

Alundra.


----------



## Tchesko

hald said:
			
		

> Il ne faut jamais parler sèchement à un Numide (that one comes from Astérix)
> 
> On ne dit pas "un ingrat", mais "Gimli a pris du poids".
> 
> Qu'est-ce qu'un nain intelligent ?
> Un nain tellectuel.


 
There are many more in the category "On ne dit pas..." ("One shouldn't say..."):

I once received these by e-mail:

On ne dit pas " Mine de rien " mais " Gisement épuisé "
On ne dit pas " Javelliser " mais " J'ai lu ".
On ne dit pas " L'électronique " mais " L'électricien fait l'amour "
On ne dit pas " La maitresse d'école " mais "l'institutrice prend l'avion"
On ne dit pas " Une route a deux voies " mais " Une biroute "
On ne dit pas " Un chapitre " mais " Un matou rigolo "
On ne dit pas " Sexologie ", Mais " Sport en chambre"
On ne dit pas " Concentrique ", Mais " Idiot émascule "
On ne dit pas " Richelieu " mais " Sympa la baraque "
On ne dit pas " Le ton monte " Mais " La fille moche prend l'ascenseur"
On ne dit pas " Jerrican " Mais " J'me bidonne "
On ne dit pas " Monténégro " Mais " Après vous, Monsieur l'ambassadeur "
On ne dit pas " C'est l'Amazone " Mais " C'est la que j'habite "
On ne dit pas " Consensuel " Mais " Génitalement attirante "
On ne dit pas " Un ingrat " Mais " Un petit gros "
On ne dit pas " Allegro " Mais " Vas-y l'obèse "
On ne dit pas " Le Petit Poucet " Mais " Le gosse était constipe "
On ne dit pas " Mon amiral " Mais " mon copain rouspète "
On ne dit pas " Un enfoire " Mais " Une année de perdue "
On ne dit pas " Potager " Mais " Vieux copain "
On ne dit pas " Il a des CD " Mais " Il est mort "
On ne dit pas " Un balcon ", Mais " Une soirée nulle "
On ne dit pas " Il habite a l'ile Maurice " Mais " Maurice habite près de Tourcoing "
On ne dit pas " Les grenouilles coassaient " Mais " C'est quoi les grenouilles? "
On ne dit pas " Passer a l'heure d'été " Mais " Venir pour le gouter "
On ne dit pas " N'importe quoi " Mais " Que porte le nain? "
On ne dit pas " Le Massif Central " Mais " Le gros au milieu "
On ne dit pas " Le Gospel " Mais " L'enfant a un coup de soleil "
On ne dit pas " Acide amine " Mais " L'ecstasy du chat "
On ne dit pas " La bonne paella " Mais " La femme de ménage est en 
vacances "
On ne dit pas " Echafaud " Mais " He! ch'est pas vrai "
On ne dit pas " Il est chétif " Mais " Il est chez le coiffeur "
On ne dit pas " Il est népalais " Mais " c'est un beau bébé "
On ne dit pas " Gestionnaire de taches " Mais " Directeur des
ressources humaines "
On ne dit pas " Un match interminable " Mais " Une rencontre entre de
mauvais joueurs "
On ne dit pas " Calcutta " Mais " Quelle chance tu as "

PS - I'm really lazy to fill in the missing accents.....


----------



## Nocciolina

hald said:
			
		

> Il ne faut jamais parler sèchement à un Numide (that one comes from Astérix)
> 
> On ne dit pas "un ingrat", mais "Gimli a pris du poids".
> 
> Qu'est-ce qu'un nain intelligent ?
> Un nain tellectuel.


 
i am sure they are very interesting if one speaks french. Do you think you could explain the meaning? Thanks!


----------



## Nocciolina

I guess this would fall into the category of pun:
Il più stupido studente giapponese? 
Nokapitu Nokatsu.  (sounds like...non ho capito un cazzu)

Who's the stupidest japanese student?
I didn't understand anything


----------



## Tchesko

To Nocciolina:



			
				Nocciolina said:
			
		

> i am sure they are very interesting if one speaks french. Do you think you could explain the meaning? Thanks!


 
I think irisheyes0583 is right on this:



			
				irisheyes0583 said:
			
		

> Hi, I was hoping that we could start a thread on puns/plays-on-words in your language. I really love puns because they are virtually un-translatable and really push us to understand subtle nuances of a language.


 
puns are quite hard to explain if you don't speak the language and above all, when explained they are not funny any longer...

those posted by hald roughly mean this:



			
				hald said:
			
		

> Il ne faut jamais parler sèchement à un Numide (that one comes from Astérix)
> You should never speak dryly to a Numidian
> (pronunciation: "un Numide" = "un humide" = someone who is damp/humid)
> 
> On ne dit pas "un ingrat", mais "Gimli a pris du poids".
> One shouldn't say "an ungrateful one" but "Gimli gained weight"
> (pronunciation: "un ingrat" = "un nain gras" = a fat dwarf)
> 
> Qu'est-ce qu'un nain intelligent ?
> Un nain tellectuel.
> What is a smart dwarf ?
> A tellectual dwarf.
> (pronunciation: "un nain tellectuel" = "un intellectuel" = an intellectual)


 
Those posted by me are really too many so I won't translate them, sorry...


----------



## Roi Marphille

I like this one in Castilian/Spanish: 
"¿cómo como? como como como"
How do I eat? I eat just like I eat. 

How about this game you can play with your one-hand fingers with letters written in each. 
"¿que es eso? eso es queso"


----------



## Laia

En pinxo li diu al panxo: "vols que et punxi amb un punxó?". I el panxo li diu al pinxo "punxa'm, però a la panxa no".

I just don't feel able to translate this... jajaja


----------



## belén

¿Y usted no nada nada? Es que no traje traje
And you don't swim at all? I didn't bring a suit.


----------



## Vanda

O doce mais doce é o doce de batata-doce.
The sweetest candy is the sweet-potato candy.


----------



## DareRyan

One of my favorite American puns is 'A blind man and his seeing eye dog board a plane. The dog is carrying two dead rabbits in its mouth that it had cought earlier in the day. A flight attendant stops the man as he is taking his seat and states "I'm sorry sir, but we allow only one carrion per passenger."'


----------



## Alundra

belen said:
			
		

> ¿Y usted no nada nada? Es que no traje traje
> And you don't swim at all? I didn't bring a suit.


 
porque me lo guarda el guarda  


Alundra.


----------



## zebedee

Courtesy of the film "Top Secret":

I know a little German. He's sitting over there.


----------



## Brioche

I love this Limerick

There was a young fellow named Hyde
Who fell down the outhouse and died.
His younger brother
Fell down another 
And now they're *interred* side by side.


----------



## JazzByChas

O.K… I’ll throw a couple in my self


_What did Jack the Ripper say about his first date?_
“I’m a bit nervous, but I’ll give it a stab….” (give it a try)


_(From back in grade school)_
_Why does one never get hungry at the beach?_
Because of all the sand which is (sandwiches) there?

_
What is a punsters favorite situation?_
A Pun-ctuation! (ok, that was bad!)

_
What did the ghost say to his date?_
Darling, you are boo-tiful (beautiful)

_
What is the "redneck" use of the word "sensuous"_
"Hey darlin'...I figgered (figured) since you was (sensuous) up, could'ja gimme (get me) a beer?"

_
What did the daddy bullet say to the mamma bullet?_
Let’s have a BB (baby)
Note: “BB” = a shot pellet 0.175 inch in diameter for use in an air gun


_
What did the “18-wheeler” (truck/cambion) and the car say to their friends after having their first child?_
I was a stretch, but we made it! (“Stretch” = “Stretch Limousine” or just Limousine)
(Etymology: French, literally, cloak, from _Limousin, _France...[_perhaps some native French person could explain that definition?]_)


_
What do you call a gay ball that goes bad ?_
A drag…



A classic...
_What happened when the butcher backed into his meat grinder?_
He got a little behind (fesses/nalga) in his business...



Let me quit while I’m behind ! 
 
[NOTE: I will be happy to explain anything you don't understand]


----------



## Monnik

En México, ocasionalmente se celebra una cena o comida entre amigos en donde cada quién lleva un platillo, y se dice que es una cena o comida "de _traje_" (Quién no lo sepa, puede pensar que el requisito es ir vestido de traje)

Saludos...


----------



## zebedee

Why are Saturday and Sunday strong? Because the others are weak days (weekdays)
What did the traffic light say to the lamppost? Don't look now, I'm changing.
What's black and white and red all over? A newspaper (red/read)
Why did John take the tape measure to bed with him? Because he wanted to see how long he slept.
What did the big chimney say to the little chimney? You're too young to smoke.
Why did the acrobat visit his bank? To check his balance.
What do you get if you cross a snowman with a vampire? Frostbite.
I'll stop now before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at me.


----------



## Roi Marphille

a mi me encanta "ajo y agua", lo conocéis?

Ejemplo de uso: 
- mierda! ya no quedan entradas!
- ajo y agua!
- ¿ajo y agua?
- sí, *a-jo*derse *y agua*ntarse!

-damm it, there are no more tickets!
-garlic and water
-garlic and water? 
-yes, you hold your frustration because there is nothing you can do about it! je je je (this is the nice translation  )


----------



## Anna Più

Fernando said:
			
		

> About marriage:
> Dios quiso que entre casado y cansado sólo hubiera una letra de diferencia.
> There is only one letter difference between tired (cansado) and married (casado). It think it is Lope de Vega's.


Hy,
mmm.... and also casad*a *y cansad*a...*times have changed since Lope de Vega...** 

Some Catalan puns:
-Un plat pla ple de pebre negre està
_A flat plate/dish full of black pepper is…_

-En cap cap cap el que cap en aquest cap
_In any head can be holded, what can be holded in this head_

-Setze jutges d'un jutjat mengen fetge d'un penjat, si el penjat es despengés es menjaria els setze fetges dels setze jutges que l'han jutjat.
Sixteen judges from a tribunal eat liver from a hanged. If the hanged would unhooked himself, he will eat the sixteen livers of the sixteen judges that have judged him.

If someone can correct the translations, specially the last one...
A+


----------



## belén

zebedee said:
			
		

> I know a little German. He's sitting over there.


I know Karate. 


And 40 other words in Japanese.


----------



## Anna Più

Hi again,
Years ago, someone from Costa Rica, said to me a word, like a word to play with its sound. I was someting like *parangaraquatirimícaro*
I can't translated... if it's really possible to be translated...!
A+


----------



## Don Zauker

Il contrario di accumulatori? ...sparpagliavacche...

Translated as:
the reverse of accumulators? spread cows

as accumulatori in italian may be translated as to pile bulls


Il contrario di abbondantemente? ...a Berlino Boccaccio dice il vero...

Translated as:
the reverse of aboundantly? in Berlin Boccaccio says the truth

as abbondantemente may be written as "a Bonn Dante mente" that may be translated as "In Bonn Dante lies"

Hald: the Asterix phrase is great. I've readen the italina version and I've never undestood the pun. Thanks man


----------



## irisheyes0583

Anna Più said:
			
		

> Hi again,
> Years ago, someone from Costa Rica, said to me a word, like a word to play with its sound. I was someting like *parangaraquatirimícaro*
> I can't translated... if it's really possible to be translated...!
> A+



 Yes, haha very good!  My tico friends taught me this one, too. It comes from a tongue twister & it is "*parangaricutirimícuaro*". The whole trabalenguas is as follows: “El volcán de parangaricutirimícuaro se quiere desparangaricutiriguarízar, y él qué lo desparangaricutiricuarízare será un buen desparangaricutirimízador." 


By the way, I do not believe that it has a translation...


----------



## Monnik

irisheyes0583 said:
			
		

> Yes, haha very good!  My tico friends taught me this one, too. It comes from a tongue twister & it is "*parangaricutirimícuaro*". The whole trabalenguas is as follows:“El volcán de parangaricutirimícuaro se quiere desparangaricutiriguarízar, y él qué lo desparangaricutiricuarízare será un buen desparangaricutirimízador."
> 
> 
> By the way, I do not believe that it has a translation...


 
*Parangaricutirimícuaro* is actually the name of a town in the state of Michoacán, Mexico.


----------



## Don Zauker

irisheyes0583 said:
			
		

> Yes, haha very good!  My tico friends taught me this one, too. It comes from a tongue twister & it is "*parangaricutirimícuaro*". The whole trabalenguas is as follows:“El volcán de parangaricutirimícuaro se quiere desparangaricutiriguarízar, y él qué lo desparangaricutiricuarízare será un buen desparangaricutirimízador."
> 
> 
> By the way, I do not believe that it has a translation...


There is a similar phrase in Italian:
"Se l'arcivescovo di Costantinopoli si disarcivescostantinopolizzasse, ti disarcivescostantinopolizzeresti tu come l'arcivescovo di Costantinopoli?"


----------



## Anna Più

irisheyes0583 said:
			
		

> Yes, haha very good!  My tico friends taught me this one, too. It comes from a tongue twister & it is "*parangaricutirimícuaro*". The whole trabalenguas is as follows:“El volcán de parangaricutirimícuaro se quiere desparangaricutiriguarízar, y él qué lo desparangaricutiricuarízare será un buen desparangaricutirimízador."
> 
> By the way, I do not believe that it has a translation...


Funny and very dificult! I didn't know it!



> *Parangaricutirimícuaro* is actually the name of a town in the state of Michoacán, Mexico.


Everyday we improve something new! 
Regards/Saludos,
A+


----------



## Laia

Anna Più said:
			
		

> Hy,
> mmm.... and also casad*a *y cansad*a...*times have changed since Lope de Vega...**
> 
> Some Catalan puns:
> 
> -En cap cap cap el que cap en aquest cap
> _In any head can be holded, what can be holded in this head_


 
Dear Anna... look at this  :
_*En cap cap cap el que hi cap en el cap de cap de creus*_

In no head fits what fits in the head of the head of Cap de Creus (town). _Spanish_: En ninguna cabeza cabe lo que cabe en la cabeza de Cap de Creus (ciudad).
http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/ca.htm


----------



## Vanda

*O Papa papa papa, o Papa papa pão, se o Papa tudo papasse, seria uma Papa papão* .

A lame attempt to translation:

The Pope eats porridge, the Pope eats bread, if the Pope ate everything,
he would be an eater Pope.


----------



## irisheyes0583

Vanda said:
			
		

> *O Papa papa papa, o Papa papa pão, se o Papa tudo papasse, seria uma Papa papão* .
> 
> A lame attempt to translation:
> 
> The Pope eats porridge, the Pope eats bread, if the Pope ate everything,
> he would be an eater Pope.



I love it! For an English speaker, the "p" sound is easy to replicate, so I love "p"-sound tongue twisters in Spanish & Portuguese b/c I can actually say them! 

Just one very small thing: You can either make a lame attempt *to* translate, or you can make a lame attempt *at* translation.


----------



## Vanda

Collocation.... 

Thank you irisheyes. Deep down I knew something sounded
weird, but I was too lazy to research.


----------



## badgrammar

I'm on a seafood diet...  When I see food, I eat it!

Pa-dum-dum!

Tough audience


----------



## Anna Più

Laia said:
			
		

> Dear Anna... look at this  :
> _*En cap cap cap el que hi cap en el cap de cap de creus*_
> 
> In no head fits what fits in the head of the head of Cap de Creus (town). _Spanish_: En ninguna cabeza cabe lo que cabe en la cabeza de Cap de Creus (ciudad).
> http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/ca.htm


 
Hi Laia!
Never heared in this way, funny! 
Thanks for the interesting link!  
A+


----------

