|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dickens uses the word "conundrum". It occurred to me that I had no idea of the etymology, but sounds a bit like Latin.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
conundrum
SYLLABICATION: co·nun·drum
PRONUNCIATION: k-nndrm
NOUN: 1. A riddle in which a fanciful question is answered by a pun. 2. A paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem; a dilemma: “the conundrum, thus far unanswered, of achieving full employment without inflation” (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.).
ETYMOLOGY: Origin unknown.
Offhand, I can't remember any conundrums (conunda?) for which answer is a pun. The only one I remember at the moment is "Why is Nancy Reagan like the Panama Canal?"
Answer: "The Panama Canal is a busy ditch, and she's vice versa." But that answer doesn't seem to be a pun.
Got a better example?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,004
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,004 |
Dear Doc
I can't remember specific examples, but Alice in Wonderland is full of conundrums.
Remember the school being run by a turtle? Why? "Because he tortoise" (probably need Brit pronunciation for that). But it's full of that sort of stuff, and I'd guess that the first definition you have may well have come from the Victorian fascination with word games.
cheer
the sunshine warrior
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Why is a virgin like a sneeze?
Gesundheit.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
And the was the proverbial dumb blonde who insisted that her boyfriend wear a conundrum. Not so dumb, after all.
Incidentally, I despise the merriment directed at blondes.
It has been said Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I married one, but not because of tint of her chevelure.
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,343
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
757
guests, and
1
robot. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
|
|
