# Is There A Term For This Type Of Wordplay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400 "2018-02-07T23:09:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/41 "2018-02-11T01:13:29Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > No thread-shitting intention, so please don’t take it as that. > > It’s intended [perhaps a failed hope] to be the first part of the joke rather than a declaration about the thread - as in ‘People are obviously flailing around meaninglessly atomising grammar about because The Big Event that took up all their attention / Large Bird has passed and sapped their will to do anything useful.’ > > It didn’t raise anyone’s dander so far, so maybe others got it or gave it the benefit of the doubt. To clarify for passing mods, “Superb Owl” is a classic example of the topic of this thread. If it makes you feel better, I had a :dubious::smack: before I got it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/42 "2018-02-11T01:56:26Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > To clarify for passing mods, “Superb Owl” is a classic example of the topic of this thread. If it makes you feel better, I had a :dubious::smack: before I got it. Being an ornithologist, I am well acquainted with that joke. Many of my friends go out owling on Superb Owl Sunday. Given that this thread was started three days after the event, and it is now almost a week after, the connection is tenuous at best. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/43 "2018-02-11T05:44:45Z")
I always enjoy eating at Pope Yes chicken! Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/44 "2018-03-07T03:56:45Z")
While watching the Oscars I discovered another that compelled me to find this thread. Gary Old Man. (similarly, comedian Chris Gethard has pointed out that he was referred to as Get Hard in high school) mmm ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/45 "2018-03-07T12:52:25Z")
Is “Oldman” really an example for this thread, though? The origin of that name presumably is really “old man”. One supposes that one of Gary’s ancestors lived to a particularly ripe age, and was known for it in his community. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/46 "2018-03-07T13:19:51Z")
Here’s a webpage on the origin of the name Oldman: > **[Surname Database: Oldman Last Name Origin](https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Oldman)** > > Last name meaning Oldman: This unusual surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is derived from the Middle English (1200 - 1500) "old", from the Olde English pre 7th Century "eald", meaning old... ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/47 "2018-03-07T13:38:31Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > While watching the Oscars I discovered another that compelled me to find this thread. > > Gary Old Man. > > (similarly, comedian Chris Gethard has pointed out that he was referred to as Get Hard in high school) > mmm Gary Numan is a few weeks older than Gary Oldman. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400/48 "2018-03-07T13:42:48Z")
Hey, I just stumbled across the actual answer to the question–[rebracketing/resegmentation/metanalysis.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebracketing) On the Oldman track, I always for some reason think of Hugh Jackman as Hugh Jassman because it can be thought of as “Huge ass, man!” Never mind how I break down Neil Gaiman. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-type-of-wordplay/808400.md?page=2)