Purging a Pun

[steepholm]

"Unter den Linden? How sublime!"

For years I've nursed that multilingual pun, looking for an opportunity to slip it naturally into conversation. "I wonder what Longinus would have made of the Brandenburg Gate?" I might say, a propos of nothing - only to see the other people in the bus queue shuffle warily away. Would anyone feed me a line that would allow me to unsheathe my devastating witticism? Would they heck. It became an albatross round my neck. An albatross called Moby Dick.

Today, in a fit of abandon, I put it up as my Facebook status - but it didn't get so much as a single Like. After that I was forced to face the fact that a) not many people would get the joke, and b) even those that did probably wouldn't find it funny.

Perhaps, in fact, it isn't very funny. There - I've said it.

I admit defeat. Take it. Do with it as you will. Publish it as your own, and make millions - I care not.

God, I feel so much better for that.

Comments

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Ooh, do explain! You're amongst friends here.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Gorm in Irish and in Gaelic (as in Scottish Gaelic) means blue. It is pronounced slightly differently in each, and in neither case like the gorm out of gormless. However! Once I have explained to your captive (note: not captivated) audience about gorm meaning blue, here are several JOKES I then inflict upon them. Both require convoluted set-ups that your audience may not be willing to accept.

1) The art teacher asked me to paint the sky, but I didn't have the right colour, so I just stood there looking gormless.

2) I was on stage introducing the next act of the 90s revival show (bear with me), when it was announced that Duncan James' band weren't ready. So I stood there, looking gormless.

There are many variations! Not one person has yet laughed. It is still not as ill-received as my New Who/Scottish devolution settlement joke.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

It is still not as ill-received as my New Who/Scottish devolution settlement joke.

Well now I'm hooked. Better out than in, as Alex Salmond would say - do tell!

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I used to tell it while I was giving introductory seminars on the devolution context. At the end was a quiz, and one of the questions was "which of these can Scotland legislate on: fur farming, the date of Easter, daylight savings time". The answer is fur farming, because time and space are reserved to the UK Government. "Which may explain why David Tennant used an English accent to play the Doctor!" I grin eagerly and somewhat desperately at the room, who look back stone-faced.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Oh, but that's very good!

Talking of fur farming, why should you never confide your secrets to a mink?

(Because it must tell or die.)

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

Groan! I just worked out why Hermione might not wish to take Ron's name: Ermine-y and Weasley are far too much alike.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

:) I'm finding it very hard not to make any more mustelidae puns. Badgers, otters, stoats, oh my! It's all too much...

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

...I think that is funny, but I do live in Wales. ;)

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Also, nice: Better out than in, as Alex Salmond would say

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

You are working in the same garden where grow Tom Swifties. (http://www.fun-with-words.com/tom_swifties_history.html)