YES, VIRGINIA, THERE REALLY IS A
PARADROSDOKIAN!
You may not find any paraprosdokian at the La Brea Tar
Pits, but they exist. Really, they do! You can find them in Merriam Webster and
most other dictionaries, snoozing between the pages.
However, you
probably are familiar with this species which is commonly known as the ever-
popular comedic One-Liner. Merriam-Webster
defines paraprosdokian as “A figure of speech in
which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a
way that causes the reader or listener to re-frame or re-interpret the first
part.”
In fact, some paraprosdokians can change the
meaning of the initial phrase and play on the double meaning of the words,
creating a syllepsis.
No!
That’s not a baby paraprosdokian or a
sexually transmitted disease. Syllepsis is another figure of
speech in which a word is applied to two others in different senses. (e.g.,
caught the train and a bad cold.)
WRITERS AND READERS, REJOICE!
The paraprosdokian
figure of speech is one everyone is familiar with, but writers should
understand its use as another writing tool.
If you're like I
was, at this point you are saying—or perhaps yelling—"What the heck are you talking about?" Even
stronger language may be appropriate.
It
is much easier to give examples of Famous Pararosdokians:
●
"He was at his best when the going was good."— Alistair Cooke on the Duke of Windsor
●"If
I could just say a few words...I'd be a better public speaker."__ Homer Simpson
●"If
I am reading this graph correctly...I'd be very surprised."—Stephen
Colbert
●"I've
had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it."—Groucho Marx
●"I
haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long."—Mitch Hedberg
NOW I GET IT!
We're all acquainted with these one-liners because they're frequently
used in comedy. They're fun. They're also useful in writing for several
reasons.
● First, because writers are constantly advised
to avoid clichés and to come up with new and fresh ways of expressing the same old
ideas. A writer can use this technique to invent new and interesting metaphors.
● Second, the use of this figure of speech can
create humor or dramatic effect, or even for producing an anticlimax.
This device is used
not only in comedy but in literature and frequently in films. Here are some
examples of the use of the device in literature:
● Example
#1 – My speech to the Graduates by Woody Allen
"Contemporary man, of course, has no such peace of
mind. He finds himself in the midst of a crisis of faith. He is what we
fashionably call ‘alienated.’ He has seen the ravages of war, he has known
natural catastrophes, he has been to singles bars."
The sentences
goes along dealing with the meaning of life. The juxtaposition of final phrase
contrasts so much with the serious topic, that it’s unexpected and, therefore,
humorous.
● Example #2 - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
“Trin Tragula – for that was his name – was a dreamer, a
thinker, a speculative philosopher or, as his wife would have it, an idiot…”
Trin Tragula
is portrayed as "a dreamer, a thinker, a speculative philosopher”, all
characteristics the reader would think of as good traits. Adams, however, ends
his litany by mentioning how Trin Tragula’s wife perceives him (“as his wife
would have it, an idiot”). This ending is a surprise to the readers and creates
comic effect.
● Example #3 - The Cottage Maid by Patrick
Branwell Bronte
“Religion makes beauty enchanting,
And even where beauty is wanting,
The temper and mind,
Religion refined,
Will shine through the veil with sweet luster...."
And even where beauty is wanting,
The temper and mind,
Religion refined,
Will shine through the veil with sweet luster...."
While this one is truly incomprehensible
to me, it is explained this way. "In this excerpt, the author is talking
about religion through the first four lines. However, in the last line, there
is a sudden shift of sense" which gives a different meaning from the rest
of the text.https://literarydevices.net/paraprosdokian/
JUST FOR FUN: Here is a Short List
There are many
lists of well-known and not-so-well-known paraprosdokians. Here are a few:
● "I like going to the park and
watching the children run around screaming, because they don't know I'm using
blanks." —Emo Philips
● "I sleep eight hours a day and at
least ten at night." —Bill Hicks
● "I don't belong to an organized
political party. I'm a Democrat." —Will
Rogers
● "On the other hand, you have
different fingers." —Steven Wright
● “I asked God for a
bike, but I know God doesn’t work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for
forgiveness.”
● “Do not argue with an
idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.”
●
“I want to
die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like
the passengers in his car.
● “Going to church
doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a
car.”
●
“The last
thing I want to do is hurt you. But it’s still on the list.”
●
“Light
travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear
them speak.”
HAVE FUN
WITH IT!
AUTHOR
R. ANN SIRACUSA
Travel to Foreign Lands for Romance and Intrigue
Travel to Foreign Lands for Romance and Intrigue
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