FUNNY ENGLISH

When learning English, you need a good sense humor.

English is a funny language. Learning it is not always fun. But like any language. it's often good for a laugh. If you're going to catch the humor, though, you need to understand why something is funny. Maybe it's a word that has two different meanings. Or perhaps it's a misuse of the grammar that adds to the humor. If you don't get the joke, you won't share in the laughter. And nobody likes to feel left out.

A pun is one of the most common forms of humor in English. Also known as a "play on words," a pun uses a word that has a double meaning. Sometimes it uses a word that sounds similar to another word. Many jokes and riddles are based on puns. For instance, a guy rushes into the doctor's office and gasps, "Doctor! Doctor! I  think I'm shrinking!" The doctor replies, "Don't worry. You'll just have to be a little patient." Get it? The word patient can have two different meanings.

Puns are easy to create. Just take two words that sound alike and substitute one for the other. Like this: When is it time to go to the dentist? Tooth hurty. (Two thirty.  Get it?) Or this: When the lady got married, she got a new name and a dress. (Address, see?) You can also use a word with a double meaning: Why can't a bicycle stand alone? It's two tires. (Get it? It has two tires, but it's also too tired.) Can you see why puns tend to make people groan? Or have you groan (grown) to like them?

Getting your tongue tangled up can create some funny expressions called spoonerisms. Dr. William Archibald Spooner of Oxford, England, became famous for switching sounds around. Once when a stranger was sitting in the wrong place, he offered, "May I sew you to another sheet? (May I show you to another seat?) Anyone can make spoonerism unintentionally. Did you eat "keys and parrots" for lunch? (Or was it peas and carrots?)

Another type of play on words is called a malapropism. It was named after Mrs. Malaprop, a comic character from a play by Richard Sheridan. She had a bad habit of confusing words like affluence and
and influence.

Of course, she's not the only one. Many famous people get their words mixed up. Take Casey Stengel, the well-known baseball manager.  He once asked his players to line up in alphabetical order according to their size. And what about the movie producer Samuel Goldwyn, who once said he read part of a book all the way through!.

You can find amusing things about English almost everywhere you look. Why do we drive on the parkway and park on the driveway? Why is it that writers can write, but fingers don't "fing? Why do we ship things by truck, but send cargo by ship? And why is it that your nose runs and your feet smell? There's no doubt about it: English really is a funny language. So it's Ok to laugh when you're learning it.

Grammar Tips:
...perhaps it's a misuse of the grammar that adds to the humor.
adds to- Add two to five and you will get seven.
adds to, add to, added to - increases in ....
Henry was very late to the birthday party, and his ugly present just added to his embarrassment.
The roses that Jimmy placed all over the room for his wife just added to the romantic atmosphere.

Vocabulary Tips:
catch- get with hands.捕捉，抓住。。体会，领会
*Henry didn't catch it when Patrick was making fun of him.
*The music was too loud and I didn't catch what the announcement said.
feel left out-感觉被忽略，被遗落。
left out -忽略，冷落，漏掉，疏忽。- leave out
*Diana felt left out because no one wanted to play with her at school.
*The teacher paired the kids for the activity so no one would feel left out. 二人一组。
gasp-喘着气的说， 上气不接下气的说，气喘吁吁的
*Jason gasped "help!" when he rushed into the emergency room.
*Nathan was gasping for air after running the race.气喘吁吁的
substitute-代替 use one thing for another, use one teach for another. "sub"-替代
substitute 以什么来替代用 "for"-
*You can substitute rice for mashed potatoes.
*the mechanic was sued for substituting local parts for imported parts.
groan-叹息，呻吟，抱怨，发出不满或是痛苦的声音。
*The audience groaned at the speaker's inappropriate comment.
*The patient groaned with pain when the doctor cleaned his wound.
*The old man groaned when he saw kids playing in his garden.
unintentionally -不是故意地， 不经意的。。
intention-有意，存心，故意intentionally-有意地，故意地
*The proposal unintentionally turned into a comedy.
*I unintentionally opened this classified file.秘密档案
tangled- tongue twisted, unorganized, words stock with tongue. 嚼舌的，零乱的。
* My hair get tangled.
affluence-has a lot of money, rich. 富有，致富，丰富，富裕
*Even though he lives a life of affluence, deep in his heart, he still feels empty.
*The Owners of the company quickly rose to affluence after the success of their product.
alphabetical -字母的，
in alphabetical order-按字母次序排列。
*All the files were sorted in alphabetical order.
*The names of the people participating in the film are listed in alphabetical order.
driveway- a short way lead to some one's house.每家房子车库前的私人车道。drive驾驶
*The Thompson are having a party. Their driveway is packed with cars.林荫大道。
Parkway- a long open way with trees on sides for people to drive.
cargo-packages or something  pack together sent by ship.
feet- for run and walk.
smell-闻，味道，臭味，不好的味道。
feet smell-feet smell bad. feet has bad smell.

Chat Room:
fun/funny- 有趣的
fun- 好玩的
funny-滑稽的，好笑的， 古怪，不正常的，怪怪的。
This cake has a funny taste. This dress looks funny.怪怪的。
John is a fun guy.-“强”是个很有趣的人，和他在一起很有趣，好玩。
John is a funny guy.- “强”是个很会说笑话，搞笑 或古怪的人。
English is a funny language. Learning is not always fun.
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On the tip of my tongue - 很熟的人或事，一下子叫不出来，就在嘴边。知道就是说不出来，在舌尖上。
a slip of the tongue-不小心说错了话。子音对调。
spoonerism- a slip of the tongue is “spoonerism”.
Look before you leap.  slip of the tongue (spoonerism )不小心， 说成了 "Loop before you leak."
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comprehension- 理解
apprehension-担心，恐惧
malapropism -麦加普现象
SUV -休旅车
USB-电脑的随身碟。
cliffhanger-惊险的故事
cliff dweller-住在洞穴里的人。

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