wellerism
Noun: A wellerism is a specific type of witty or humorous saying. It consists of a well-known quotation or proverb, followed by a facetious (often punning or literal-minded) remark that is attributed to a specific speaker, typically introduced by a phrase like "as X said." The humor arises from the incongruity between the original statement and the new, literal context.
A wellerism is used as a form of verbal humor and wordplay. It is a structured joke format that plays on the double meaning or literal interpretation of a familiar phrase. - The structure is: "[Familiar quotation]," as [speaker] said [when/while doing something humorous or incongruous].
- "We'll have to rehearse that," as the undertaker said when the hearse broke down. (This plays on the double meaning of "rehearse" – to practice, and a pun on "hearse" – the vehicle.)
- "Everyone to his taste," as the farmer said when he kissed the cow. (This humorously applies a proverb about personal preference to an absurd situation.)
- "So far, so good," as the man said when he fell from the skyscraper. (This creates dark humor by applying a phrase of satisfaction to a disastrous event.)
- The speaker in a wellerism is often a stereotypical or generic character (e.g., "the sailor said," "the old woman said").
- The humor is often dependent on cultural knowledge of the original proverb or quotation.
- It is named after Sam Weller, a character in Charles Dickens's , who frequently used this form of speech.
- Proverb: A short, well-known saying that states a general truth or piece of advice. (e.g., "Too many cooks spoil the broth.") A wellerism typically begins with a proverb.
- Epigram: A concise, clever, and often paradoxical statement.
- Pun: A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word. Wellerisms often contain puns.
- Quip
- Witticism
- Play on words
While not idioms themselves, wellerisms are a format for delivering humorous twists on idioms and proverbs. The familiar first part is often an idiom.
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a comparison comprising a well-known quotation followed by a facetious sequel
