Antecedents should be clearly understood by the use of the pronoun. Otherwise your communication will be ineffective—or funny.
A paronomasia is a pun, but a pun isn’t always a paronomasia. Paronomasias depend on the use of similar words to create the humour. They can be homographic, homophonic, or homonymic. Homographs, homophones and homonyms have been covered in previous Wednesday Word posts. If you are not sure what they mean, please ask me.
To lose weight is to change the composition of your body so that it weighs less. To loose weight is to pick it up and throw it away, or to open the cage door and let it run out under its own power. Loose the pounds!
To pass muster is not the same as to pass mustard.
Now that you know the word malapropism (check Wednesday Word from December 20, 2017 if you missed it), can you guess what a malaphor is? Watch the video to check your answer. Then please share any malaphors you’ve heard, or perhaps that you say, in the comments below.
