China bans puns

[M. Montaigne]

China bans wordplay in attempt at pun control

"In an Orwellian move to legislate language, the Chinese government is attempting to stop the use of puns because they are disruptive and may lead to chaos and as such are unsuitable for use. However, Chinese is rife with puns, with this example quoted in the story: "When couples marry, people will give them dates and peanuts – a reference to the wish Zaosheng guizi or 'May you soon give birth to a son.' The word for dates is also zao and peanuts are huasheng." The powerful date and peanut lobbies are up in arms, claiming that such a ban will cost them more than peanuts. Their claim? "If you outlaw puns. Only criminals will have puns.""

[boatme99]

Well, I'd better get another one in before the Guards come beating on my door. And me.

You know where to go.

Wait. I don't live in China. It must be you guys out in the yard with clubs and pitchforks.

[geoffbot]

I once told a Chinese chap a few puns (like, ten of them) trying to make him laugh but I guess they just don't get them, as no pun in ten did.

[Chronopolitano]

I once told a Chinese chap a few puns (like, ten of them) trying to make him laugh but I guess they just don't get them, as no pun in ten did.

His name: Sum-Ting Wong

[Chronopolitano]

First they gut the written language. Just an awful awful move that was.
They're PICTOGRAMS ferkristsakes! !
So, without all the strokes present, all you have are signs that are mute (pictorially speaking), not even half as efficient as phonetic writing.

Now puns?
End of poetry for them

On the other hand, maybe it will curtail their mad mad love for superstition.
Example, the taboo against clocks as presents, because they say the word for 'clock' sounds just like the word for 'end' as in finito, caput.
A "bad omen" supposedly.

[Rob]

Projected humor is not received well. The situation has to be unintentional to be funny, from what I've observed. It's always in the eye of the beholder. Someone acting funny is just stupid and illogical.

[drunken monkey]

Example, the taboo against clocks as presents, because they say the word for 'clock' sounds just like the word for 'end' as in finito, caput.
A "bad omen" supposedly.

that's not accurate.

[Chronopolitano]

that's not accurate.

Don't be coy - let's have it then.

But whateva. The point I am making is clear.

[drunken monkey]

the Chinese (Cantonese in my case) for "giving a clock as a present" is (excuse bad romanisation) "soong jung" - translating it directly is close to "present (as in to show/deliver) clock"
one of the Chinese terms for funeral uses the same first word "soong" in the sense (to show/deliver) and the same sounding "jung" (I actually have no idea what this one means...) and the meaning of the phrase is sort of, "deliver the person to the next"

your description is off in that it implies that clock sounds like end which it doesn't.

I'm not even sure what your point is regarding the pictograms.

[BillyR___]

That escalated quickly.