On phonetics, phonology, and homophones.

[Geoff Bannister]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, Random832 <random832 at ...> wrote:

Geoff:
>  >There has been a supposedly funny version of the
>  > books in circulation, involving the adventures of "Hairy Potter
>  > and the
." but this is definitely NOT a homophone of Harry
>  > in UK English.
> 
> Random832:
> Gah - this is the point that irritates me the most about this thread, 
> regardless of if you're talking about thickness, serious, or hairy - you 
> don't need a homophone to have a pun!

Geoff:
No, you've missed the point, possibly because you aren't familiar with 
this type of UK humour.

The whole point of the 'Hairy Potter and the....." parody is that it ISN'T 
a homophone. It's near enough for readers to recognise the similariity 
in pronunciation and sound but different enough for them to realise that 
it is not meant seriously.

To give a different example of this type of humour, there was a fashion 
at one time to send humorous Christmas cards showing a mouse 
wearing a Santa outfit and holding a glass of wine. The greeting on the 
inside page was "Merry Chris Mouse". 

Get it? :-)