03.28. 1. What Is Paronomasia?

1. What Is Paronomasia? As stated in the heading of this study, paronomasia is a play on words or ideas. This term is from the Greek and is a combination of a preposition and a noun, the former primarily meaning beside; the latter indicating to name or to give a name to. Laying aside the rigidity of the etymology of the term, we would say that paronomasia consists of our laying down beside one word or idea that has been used—a similar one with a little variation or change. The point or force of the word or idea thus employed is contingent upon our understanding of the word or idea upon which it is a pun.

An illustration, however, is worth many definitions and words. Everyone of us is familiar with the fact that frequently a parent has spoken to a child, who has taken a serious matter lightly and laughingly, saying: "You will be laughing on the other side of your face (or mouth)." No explanation of what is meant is needed. The child is not considering the seriousness of the matter in hand; but, on the contrary he is laughing about it. The warning is given in terms of what is being done, namely, laughing. But the parent does not suggest that the child actually will be laughing; he simply means that he will be crying; but he speaks of what the child will be doing in terms of what he is doing at the time of the reprimand. In scores upon scores of passages throughout the Word we find this same usage of language. It must therefore be recognized in order to understand what is meant.