OOH, PARDON MY PARONOMASIA!

• By permitting ordinary folk to make light of their social betters without violating the norms of respect, where good humour abounds I seem to follow,
• More of a tic than a trick, some regard me as a pathological condition whose sufferers are 'compulsive', 'inveterate' and 'unable to help themselves' whilst others, a sign of intellectual suppleness  
• Considered by some as irritating, by others as irrepressible, according to one psychologist I'm an admission of weakness, a release valve in which humour alleviates the stress of repressing unpleasant truths 
• Perhaps "a victorious assertion of the ego's invulnerability"
• Viewed by some as a neat linguistic device which exploits the multiple meanings of words or phrases, I render lessons and concepts more vivid and memorable to listeners ......
• Sometimes used to gain attention, I am used in advertising and slogans
• I have been used by the likes of William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, the Roman playwright Platus and, even further back in history, I was used in ancient Egypt in the development of myths and the interpretation of dreams

What am I?

"The use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more meanings or different associations, or of two or more words of the same or nearly the same sound with different meanings, so as to produce a humorous effect; a play on words," - Oxford English Dictionary.

"The use of words or phrases to exploit ambiguities and innuendoes in their meaning, usually for humorous effect" - Collins Dictionary.

Yes, I'm the pun also known as paronomasia. Considered by some as the lowest form of wit, here are some of my favourite 'punny' jokes.......

• After periodic doubts about his vocational calling, the young chemistry teacher concluded he was out of his element.
• Was Noel Coward afraid of traditional Christmas music?
• Since I went to work in the plumbing department of the DIY store, I have developed a multi-fauceted personality disorder.
• How did I get out of Iraq? Iran.
• What do you call a good looking banana? Appeeling.

Care to share any of your favourite puns or are they unheard of in your part of the world?

Sources: BBC News magazine, Wikipedia.

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