Hi,
I’m feeling lighthearted today and am offering a pun for your delectation. The question is: what is the pun? By the way, I’m sure you know anyhow, but a pun is a play on words. Here goes -
Two women are in their gardens chatting over the fence:
1st woman: You look worried. What’s the matter?
2nd woman: My two boys went out on a bike ride some time ago and they’re still not back.
1st woman: Tandem?
2nd woman: No, but just you wait till they get back.
Good morning
Alan
Oh, Alan, it’s nice 
Pun is my cup of tea I like many stylistic devices and stylistic means but one of my favourites is pun, of course.
Hi Alan, so what exactly is the pun here? I know it must be the word tandem – which can be split into two words the latter being them. However, what is the first word (the verb – tan doesn’t make much sense here, does it?)[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEFL listening lectures: A lecture from a physical science class[YSaerTTEW443543]
Hi Torsten,
Tan is another word for beat in the sense of give them a good beating (this is an old pun when beating your child was not regarded as non pc) So you get the double:
Did they go by tandem?
or
Have you tanned (beaten) them?
Oh dear, it sounds even worse now that I’ve explained it!
Alan
Well Alan since I’m a rather peaceful person I think I’m excused for not having known the second meaning of tan ;-).[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEFL listening lectures: What aspect of Ben Franklin’s life does the speaker mainly discuss?[YSaerTTEW443543]
There I thought I had improved my English skills and the first two dishing women at their garden fence show me that I know nothing at all! :? :lol:
Michael
Hi Michael,
Let me know which bit you don’t understand.
Alan
Hi Alan!
Thanks for your readiness to explain your pun especially to me. I think, your recent explanation was well enough, at least I?ve understood it that way:
The second woman looks worried as their two boys didn?t came back from their bike ride until now. So the 1st woman asked her whether it was because 2nd woman tand?em (beated them). On that question the 2nd woman answered that she didn?t tand?em till now, but if the 1st woman would wait until the boys will come back, she could experience that.
I hope my interpretation is correct. I only tried to express my surprise, about how easy it is to confuse me still with one word (exactly two words) only.
Michael
Hi!
I just wanted to add that I myself am a great fan of puns. My favorite writer of puns is the German actor “Heinz Erhard”, who was capable to play with the German language like nobody else I ever knew.
Michael
The first woman asks whether the boys went riding on a tandem (a bicycle for two people).
Has anyone ever heard of a (very old!) song by London born Harry Dacre, Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built For Two), introduced in 1892?
[color=darkblue]There is a flower within my heart, Daisy, Daisy!
Planted one day by a glancing dart,
Planted by Daisy Bell!
Whether she loves me or loves me not, Sometimes its hard to tell;
Yet I am longing to share the lot of Beautiful Daisy Bell!
(chorus)
Daisy, Daisy, Give me your answer do?
I’m half crazy, All for the love of you!
It won’t be a stylish marriage, I can’t afford a carriage,
But you’ll look sweet on the seat of a bicycle built for two!
(chorus)
We will go “tandem” as man and wife, Daisy, Daisy!
Ped’ling away down the road of life,
I and my Daisy Bell!
When the road’s dark we can despise P’licmen and “lamps” as well;
There are “bright lights” in the dazzling eyes
Of beautiful Daisy Bell!
(chorus)
I will stand by you in “wheel” or woe, Daisy, Daisy!
You’ll be the bell(e) which I’ll ring, you know!
Sweet little Daisy Bell!
You’ll take the lead in each trip we take,
Then if I don’t do well; I will permit you to use the break,
My beautiful Daisy Bell!
What has changed more since those days: lyrics styles or the language itself 
?
You know that, when the man from Scotland crosses the road, and an English almost ran over him, and starts yelling at the Scottish: “Have you come to London to die?”
He says: " No, I came yesterday!"
Spencer
Hi Spencer,
To die and today have similar pronounciation :lol: Am I right? :lol: :lol: :lol:
Only in certain regions, like the North of England, Scotland and some parts of London, for example.
Their standard pronunciation is:
Today = [t9dei]
To die = [t9 dai]
Yes, Conchita, I assumed in the same way
Hi Spencer
Since your very punny post was the 11th post in this thread, the following is in your honor:
“The eleventh pun always gets a laugh, even if no pun in ten did.”
.
8)
PS
I like your pun.
Hi Amy,
Is that pun of your own composition?
"The eleventh pun always gets a laugh, even if no pun in ten did."
.
No, Pamela, I found it on the internet. It tickled my fancy and seemed to be insisting on being shared. :lol:
.
Thanks, Pamela ! I get the pun now!
Good pun, Amy!
PS:
‘Pun’ in Spanish means ‘fart’ (pardon my French) :oops: . If this is Greek to you, a fart is an escape of wind from the anus, especially if audible. Sorry, I couldn’t find a less vulgar term for it – people sometimes say ‘flatulence’, but the meaning is different.
Hi Conchita!
As I could learn from the movie ?Louis?extraterrestrial cabbage heads?(Louis d? Funes) it?s very polite to fart the whole day long in some French regions. So Louis and his neighbour were sipping cabbage soup only to be able to do the full monthy. And the idea to use cabbage soup as fuel isn?t far from actuality, is it? :roll:
Michael
P.s.: After reading your discription about the fart, I?m sure that you are also able of vivid discriptions. 
Louis de Funes had a strange sense of humour, but I enjoyed your account :lol: .
So I’ve heard! And it’s a natural gas!
I’m so glad I passed the test !!