The Pun: A Linguistic Resource

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, as a linguistic resource, the pun is so effective in performing the ludic function of language to the extent of being among the most effective tools in graphic advertising. The author points out that the use of puns is truly ancient, but their use in print media is a fairly modern phenomenon, representing an effective method of engaging a reader's attention by inviting the reader to become an active part of the process. The paper stresses that there is a risk of having the pun miss its target because some readers simply turn the page if they do not understand an ad at first glance; but, on the other hand, inviting the reader to examine the ad a little further relates to the pun's success in print advertisements. Table, illustration and chart.

Table of Contents
Review and Analysis
Background and Overview
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"To this end, this paper attempts to present the analysis of advertisements published in the graphic media in the UK and in the USA, from the perspective of Austin's Speech Act Theory (1975). This Speech Act Theory argues that when we use language we are performing certain acts. There are three acts which utterances can be said to perform: A locutionary act, an illocutionary act and a perlocutionary act. This paper will take locutionary acts performed by the text in graphic advertisements and it will attempt to identify the illocutionary force. The perlocutionary effect is beyond the scope of this paper. The guiding principles which, according to Grice, govern talk and which are so thoroughly studied in conversational analysis (C.A.), apply to texts used in graphic advertising as well. Studying Grice's Maxims enables an addressee to draw inferences as to the implicatures of such utterances. Every utterance, whether it abides by or flouts these maxims, has both entailment and implicature, which this paper intends to explore."

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