Puns are now officially legit

I know many people groan when they hear a pun; in fact, I’ve heard people say that puns are just a “low form” of humor. However, according to this anonymous writer of Rhetorica ad Herennium, puns can actually be considered an element of elegant style. Now as you’re flipping the pages again trying to find the word “pun,” you won’t find it; instead, look for the word “transplacement” (pg 254). The writer defines a subcategory of transplacement in which “the same word is used first in one function, and then in another.” Then the example he gives is as follows: “I would leave this place, should the Senator give me leave.” Does this not match the definition of a pun?

As we’re studying rhetoric, we may have to change our perspective about certain rhetorical devices. We currently might have this preconceived notion that puns are frowned upon in academia, and therefore, we must avoid using them at all costs. In contrast to the accusation that puns are a “low” form of humor, I suggest that puns denote sophistication because you have to have a good grasp of language in order to make or understand them. Plus, puns don’t have to be used just for humor; John Pollack, a former presidential speechwriter, stated that “The power of a pun comes from two things. One is its ambiguity, and second is that it enables you to pack more meaning, or more layers of meaning, into fewer words. And so if you're trying to convey complex ideas, puns can be really powerful tools to do that” (Not Jest for Pun). Even from antiquity and through the ages, we find instances where great writers interlaced puns throughout their writings (Examples of Puns in Literature).

If you’re interested in reading more about puns, check out this article; it’s pretty interesting! http://www.jstor.org.proxybz.lib.montana.edu/stable/3199729?seq=1