A transpositional pun is a pun format with two aspects. It involves transposing the words in a well-known phrase or saying to get a daffynition-like clever redefinition of a well-known word unrelated to the original phrase. The redefinition is thus the first aspect, and the transposition the second aspect. As a result, transpositional puns are considered among the most difficult to create, and commonly the most challenging to comprehend, particularly for non-native speakers of the language in which they're given (most commonly English).
Examples
{| class=wikitable
! style=width:50% | Transpositional pun
!Original reference
!Ref.
|-
|Dieting: A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
|"A mind is a terrible thing to waste", the motto of the United Negro College Fund.
|
|-
|Hangovers: The wrath of grapes.
|The Grapes of Wrath
|
|-
|Sports officials: The souls that time men's tries.
|"These are the times that try men's souls.", Thomas Paine
|
|-
|The oboe: An ill wind that nobody blows any good.
|"'Tis an ill wind that blows nobody any good."
|
|-
|Feudalism: It's your count that votes!
|"It's your vote that counts!"
|
|-
|Soldiers of fortune: Give chance a piece.
|"Give peace a chance."
|
|}
See also
- Antimetabole
- Anti-proverb
- Chiasmus
- Russian reversal
- Spoonerism