As part of my reading bonanza, I am currently reading and enjoying Ellen Ullman’s The Bug. She has a short section on puns and programmers which I like:
“Puns, I would say, represented a human being’s pent-up need for ambiguity. That a word could signify two things at once! And these double meanings could be simultaneously understood! What a relief from the flat-line understanding of a programmer’s conversation with the machine!” p. 59
Last night, I heard a Spanish pun that I particularly liked, having to do with my sister’s dog, Shorty who is an odd creature (being a mix of Pit Bull, which is for certain, and legend goes, Chihuahua) will be as of the end of the day —> sinbolico.
I bet the Spanish speakers know what is happening to Shorty today. Anyone want to take a guess?
I like a similar one to refer to women better: sintética.
And one that my parents used to refer to women’s cleavage: despechada.
Word playing is fun!
Comment by Matías — June 2, 2009 @ 9:02 am
as a fellow male mammal… OUCH!
i personally find neutering and similar procedures a violation of the rights of animals, when adopting a pet one should commit and take care of them as they are, they are living beings not things you own and can cut and past at will, imagine how you’d feel if someone messed with your stuff, i for one would really hate it :\
with that said, godspeed shorty, may your balls RIP.
Comment by anon — June 2, 2009 @ 10:50 am
my sis is pretty depressed about it, actually. she had not intention of doing so until shorty bit another dog at the dog park (still may not be a reason to do so) but the woman threatened to take action and my sis freaked out.
b
Comment by Biella — June 2, 2009 @ 11:07 am
While I enjoyed The Bug, I sometimes wonder about it..
“flat-line conversation with the machine” ? But, but, source code is often written with multiple intended audiences (compiler, machine, human).
Comment by Joey Hess — June 2, 2009 @ 11:23 am
I am about 1/2 done and some of the love scenes annoy me a little but I am enjoying overall.
Re: puns. After stating what she did above, she also then put a negative twist on puns. Not sure if she was being serious/more authentic there or just presenting two views. I prefer her first interpretation compared to her second, more sinister one.
Comment by Biella — June 2, 2009 @ 11:27 am
This reminded me of a joke about a dog named Sinbolla. One day Sinbolla started chasing the neighborhood mailman and it’s owner screamed, “Dejalo Sinbolla!” Needless to say, the mailman began running much faster.
Comment by Gladys S. — June 2, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
LOVED “The Bug.”
Comment by Sumana Harihareswara — June 3, 2009 @ 7:32 am
ba dum tssh.
Comment by Mauro — June 3, 2009 @ 3:05 pm