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Chinese Government Moves To Crack Down On Puns

Posted by timothy on from the where's-the-pun-in-that? dept.

FreedomFirstThenPeac (1235064) writes "A story in The Guardian tells us that 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 (not the mathematical kind) 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."

9 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. I laughed by Firethorn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "If you outlaw puns. Only criminals will have puns."

    I'll admit, as a 2nd amendment proponent I laughed out loud at this one.

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
    1. Re:I laughed by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Funny

      Thoes who pun will be PUNished.
      That right I will be here all night. (Away from human contact like I should)

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      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re:I laughed by eric31415927 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Puns don't kill people, comedians with puns kill people.

  2. This so funny ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... I don't know whether to slap my chin or knees.

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    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  3. hey by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 5, Funny

    Many man smoke, but Fu Man Chu.

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    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  4. puns bypass censorship by Iamthecheese · · Score: 5, Funny

    Chinese pundits frequently opine upun political matters with clever word play. It's much more difficult to use automated search for all the combinations of characters that can phunetically mean something political. Those seeking a "harmonious society" therefore hate the practice.

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    If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
  5. Mao said it best by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    Political power grows out of the barrel of a pun.

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    Have gnu, will travel.
  6. Re:Surely, that's no pun by lgw · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What, did the Chinese government finally cotton onto the fact that the Lion-Easting Poet in the Stone Den was mocking them? Not sure it's strictly speaking a lengthy pun, but it's at least a related wordplay, and was a protest against the choice of Pinyin vs other choices that would have presented more distinction when writing a tonal language.

    IIRC, Wikipedia used to lead with the explanation that the poem was really an exercise in slipping one past the censors to protest the choice, disguised as an "exercise in constrained writing". Now the text doesn't seem to discuss the mockery at all, unless I'm missing it, making the joke image of "an uneaten stone lion" seem strangely out-of-place.

    While The Hunting of the Snark remains the greatest-ever exercise in slipping one past the censors (so much so that a non-dirty meaning of "snark" has become common!), Lion-Eating Poet was always a close second IMO. I notice Wikipedia doesn't give the obvious explanation of the Carroll poem either, but maybe that's just an elaborate exercise in avoiding spoilers, so I'll do the same here!

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    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  7. Nope. by denzacar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Actually, one of the worst things you could do TO a totalitarian government is to laugh about them.

    Nope.

    Totalitarian regimes rely on fear and intimidation. Both go out the window once you see that the emperor has no clothes.

    Also nope.

    The actual quote mentions a TYRANT. A singular ruler whose power relies heavily on personal reputation.
    Misapplying that to a regime at best makes you misinformed. At worst disappeared.

    A totalitarian government is NOT one that NEEDS fear and intimidation to rule. It's a government that already HAS you by the balls.
    It does not need fear or intimidation. That's for petty dictatorships. A totalitarian government has CONTROL over rules and laws.
    I.e. It does not need to intimidate you into not drinking alcoholic beverages. It just makes it illegal.

    So, because it is aware of its own power, it is perfectly fine with letting you get your rocks off at its expense - as it knows that all it has to do is squeeze for your laughter to become a squeal.
    And it also knows that if it lets you bark at it you will never get frustrated enough to bite, while it can dismiss you with a wave of a hand "proving its openness to criticism".
    If you do eventually bite... well, you're clearly a mad dog. Just look at all your history of constant barking.

    It's totalitarian cause it already has all the power and control. It doesn't need fear nor does it fear ridicule.
    Only those who DO NOT have absolute power, but pretend that they do, fear laughter.

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    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens