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Homophonic Pun in“Alice in Wonderland” 

in English and Armenian 

Armine Matevosyan, Marine Alimyan
Yerevan State University

Abstract

The article focuses on the theoretical and practical issues of the homophonic pun in
“Alice in Wonderland” and its Armenian translation. A pun is a rhetorical device in which
people use the polysemous or homonymous relation of a language to cause a word, a sen-
tence of a discourse to involve two meanings. The research reveals that L. Carroll uses a
great array of homophonic pun which reveals the quintessential feature of the work, i.e.
humor. 

Key words: pun (paronomasia), word play, humor, homophonic pun. 

Introduction

The pun (paronomasia) is a form of word play which suggests two or more mean-
ings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an
intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intention-
al use and abuse of homophonic, homographic, metonymic, or metaphorical lan-
guage. Henri Bergson defined pun as a sentence or utterance in which “two different sets
of ideas are expressed, and we are confronted with only one series of words” (Bergson
2005). According to D. Crystal puns are more sharply focused kind of humor: two unre-
lated meanings are suddenly and unexpectedly brought together in a single word, and
incongruity makes us laugh and groan (Crystal 2004). Puns may be regarded as in jokes
or idiomatic constructions, given that their usage and meaning are entirely local to a par-
ticular language and its culture.

Pun and Its Characteristic Features in “Alice in Wonderland”

Puns are used to create humor and sometimes require background information to per-
ceive the author’s intended meaning. Puns have long been used by comedy writers, such
as William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and George Carlin. The Roman playwright
Plautus is famous for his tendency to make up and change the meaning of words to cre-
ate puns in Latin. 

Puns are widespread in anecdotes as well, like

A: How do you know there’s an elephant in your bed?
B: By the big E on his pyjamas.

A: Why is Dracula’s family so close?
B: Because blood is thicker than water.

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The purpose of classifying puns in terms of their formal structure is to examine how
the pun components (i.e. the word or word group that have more or less similar forms
and more or less different meanings) are related formally. The relation of identity
between the two pun components can be either partial or complete. It is possible to iden-
tify four types and degrees, which can be further specified in terms of homonymy,
homophony, homography, and paronymy (Delabastita 1996).  

According to the structure puns can be divided into two major types: homophonic
puns and homographic puns. The first ones are identical in sound but have different
meanings, while the second ones are identical in spelling but have different meanings.
The homophonic pun, a common type, uses word pairs which sound alike (homophones)
but are not synonymous. Walter Redfern exemplified this type with the statement: “To
pun is to treat homonyms as synonyms” (Redfern, 1985). For example, in George
Carlin’s phrase “Atheism is a non-prophet institution”, the word “prophet” is put in
place of its homophone “profit”, altering the common phrase “non-profit institution”. 

The following article aims at revealing the peculiarities of homophonic pun in “Alice
in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll and see how it is realized in Armenian. The fact is that
in poetic diction the text may acquire some additional, contextual meanings. The same
occurs in the case of pun. Carroll delights in puns like:

“You promised to tell me your history you know,” said Alice, “and why
it is you hate – C and D,” she added in a whisper, half afraid that it would
be offended again.

“Mine is a long and a sad tale!” said the Mouse, turning to Alice and
sighing.

“It is a long tail, certainly,” said Alice, looking down with wonder at
Mouse’s tail; “but why do you call it sad?”               (Chapter III, page 56)

¸áõù ÇÝÓ Ëáëï³ó³ù Ó»ñ å³ïÙáõÃÛáõÝÝ ³ë»É,– ³ë³ó ²ÉÇëÁ ¨,
áñå»ë½Ç ãíÇñ³íáñÇ Ýñ³Ý, ßßáõÏáí ³í»É³óñ»ó, û ÇÝãáõ± »ù ³ïáõÙ
“Δ-»ñÇÝ áõ “Þ”-»ñÇÝ:

²Ûë å³ïÙáõÃÛáõÝÁ »ñϳñ áõ ïËáõñ í»ñç³íáñáõÃÛáõÝ áõÝÇ,–
ͳÝñ ѳé³ã»ó ØáõÏÁ ßñçí»Éáí ¹»åÇ ²ÉÇëÁ:

– Æñáù, áñ »ñϳñ í»ñç³íáñáõÃÛáõÝ ¿,– ݳۻÉáí ØÏ³Ý åáãÇÝ`
ѳëï³ï»ó ²ÉÇëÁ,– μ³Ûó ÇÝãáõ± »ù ³ÛÝ ïËáõñ ѳٳñáõÙ:

(translated by S. Seferyan, Chapter III, page 34)

In this particular example the author underlines the specific use of homophonic puns,
like “tale, tail”, and it causes a kind of humorous effect on the reader. Let us study the
Armenian translation and see whether the effect of homophones is preserved in the
Armenian translation.

It becomes clear from the translation that the effect of homophonic puns is not found
here for objective reasons. Here the translator used the word §í»ñç³íáñáõÃÛáõݦ twice
trying to keep close to the meaning.

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Here again we shall introduce another interesting case of homophonic pun.

Why did you call him Tortoise, if he wasn’t one?” Alice asked.
“We called him Tortoise because he taught us,” said the Mock Turtle

angrily. “Really you are very dull!”                         (Chapter IX, page 121)

– ÆÝãá±õ ¿Çù â³ËÙ³Ë ³Ýí³ÝáõÙ,– ѳñóñ»ó ²ÉÇëÁ:
– Þ³ï å³ñ½, áñáíÑ»ï¨ Ý³ ³ËÙ³Ë ã¿ñ….
– Æëϳå»ë, ¹áõ ß³ï μáõà »ë,– ½³Ûñ³ó³Í ßï³å»ó λÕÍ ÎñdzÝ: 

(translated by S. Seferyan, Chapter IX, page 97)

The author paid attention to the homophonic pun, like “Tortoise, taught us”, thus
correlating the notion of Tortoise with the effect of teaching. In the Armenian ver-
sion the translator interprets the context in the following way: §ÆÝãá±õ ¿Çù
â³ËÙ³Ë ³Ýí³ÝáõÙ,– ѳñóñ»ó ²ÉÇëÁ: Þ³ï å³ñ½, áñáíÑ»ï¨ Ý³ ³ËÙ³Ë
ã¿ñ¦. The translation is really a successful one and it creates a humorous effect, as
the word §³Ëٳ˦ is actually an occasional word. It associates with the meaning
of “a stupid man” and has nothing to do with §ã³Ëٳ˦:

Another interesting case of homophonic pun is the example of “axis and axes”
like:

“Which would not be an advantage,” said Alice, who felt very glad to
get an opportunity of showing off a little of her knowledge.

“Just think what work it would make with the day and night! You see
the earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis”.

“Taking of axes,” said Duchess, “chop off her head!” 
(Chapter VI, page 86)

– ¸ñ³ÝóÇó áãÇÝã ã¿ñ ÷áËíÇ,– ²ÉÇëÁ ß³ï áõñ³Ë³ó³í, áñ Çñ
·Çï»ÉÇùÝ»ñÁ óáõó³¹ñ»Éáõ ѳٳñ ³éÇà ·ï³í,– ³å³ Ùï³Í»ù,
ÇÝã± ÏÉÇÝ»ñ ó»ñ»Ïí³ áõ ·Çß»ñí³ Ñ»ï: ÆÝãå»ë ·Çï»ù, »ñÏÇñÁ
åïïíáõÙ ¿ Çñ ³é³ÝóùÇ ßáõñç ùë³Ýãáñë ųÙáõÙ:

– ÐÇÙ³ ÙÇ í³ÛñÏÛ³ÝáõÙ Ïåïïí»ë ùá ³é³ÝóùÇ ßáõñç,– ×ã³ó
¸ùëáõÑÇÝ,– Ïïñ»É Ýñ³ ·ÉáõËÁ:

(translated by S. Seferyan, Chapter VI, page 62) 

In the above mentioned English version Carroll uses the homophonic pun “axis” and
“axes”, thus creating an unexpected humorous influence on the reader and on the
Duchess who asked to chop off Alice’s head. In the Armenian translation Seferyan fails
to preserve this homophonic pun, as it is impossible to translate it into Armenian. The
translator merely transfers this utterance by means of the word §³é³Ýóù¦.

Another example of a pun is the following:

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“And how many hours a day did you do lessons?” said Alice, in a
hurry to change the subject.

“Ten hours the first day,” said the Moch Turtle: “nine the next, and so
on”.

“What a curious plan!” exclaimed Alice.
“That’s the reason they’re called lessons,” the Gyphron remarked

“because they lessen from day to day”. (Chapter IX, p.124)

– ÆëÏ ÙÇ ûñí³ Ù»ç ù³ÝDZ ¹³ë ¿Çù ³ÝáõÙ,– ѳñó»ó ²ÉÇëÁ,
ßï³å»Éáí ÷áË»É Ëáë³ÏóáõÃÛ³Ý ÝÛáõÃÁ:

– ²é³çÇÝ ûñÁ` ï³ëÁ,– å³ï³ë˳ݻó λÕÍ ÎñdzÝ,– ÇëÏ Ñ³çáñ¹
ûñÁ` ÇÝÁ, ¨ ³Ûëå»ë ß³ñáõݳÏ:

– ƱÝã Ñ»ï³ùñùÇñ ¹³ë³óáõó³Ï ¿:
– ²Û¹ å³ï׳éáí ¿É ¹ñ³Ýù ¹³ë»ñ »Ý ÏáãíáõÙ,– Ýϳï»ó

²ñÍí³éÛáõÍÁ,– áñáíÑ»ï¨ ¹³ë³íáñí»Éáí å³Ï³ëáõÙ »Ý:
(translated by S. Seferian, Chapter IX, p.99)

The author underlines the correlation of lesson as ¹³ë and lessen as å³Ï³ë»É thus
creating the atmosphere of humor. Alice in perplex asked about the curious lessons, but
Gyphron remarked that the lessons are lessoning day by day, at first ten lessons, then
nine, eight, etc. In the Armenian translation the meanings of the words lesson and lessen
are preserved, but the effect of the pun has disappeared, as it is difficult to maintain both
the form and the content in the translation.

Let us look at another example:

Alice did not wish to offend the Dormouse again, so she began very
cautiously. “But I don’t understand. Where did they draw the treacle
from?”

“You can draw water out of a treacle - well - eh, stupid?”
“But they were in the well,” Alice said to the Dormouse not choosing

to notice this last remark.
“Of course they were,” said the Dormouse; “well in.”  
This answer so confused poor Alice, that she let the Dormouse go on

for some time without interrupting it.
“They were learning to draw, the Dormouse went on, yawing and rub-

bing its eyes, for it was getting very sleepy; “and they drew all manner of
things – everything that begins with an M”.                (Chapter VII, p.101)

²ÉÇëÁ ã¿ñ áõ½áõÙ øݳÙϳÝÁ ÝáñÇó íÇñ³íáñ»É ¨ ß³ï ½·áõßáõ -
ÃÛ³Ùμ ѳñóñ»ó.
– ´³Ûó »ë ã»Ù ѳëϳÝáõÙ, û Ýñ³Ýù áñï»ÕÇó ¿ÇÝ ûß³ñ³Ï ÏñáõÙ:
– ¸áõ ϳñáÕ »ë çáõñ Ïñ»É çñÑáñÇó,– å³ï³ë˳ݻó ·É˳ñϳ ·áñ ÍÁ,–

Ýñ³Ýù ¿É ûß³ñ³Ï ¿ÇÝ ÏñáõÙ ûß³ñ³ÏÇ çñÑáñÇó: ¾¯Ñ, ÑÇÙ³ñÇ Ù»ÏÁ:

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– ´³Ûó 㿱 áñ Ýñ³Ýù μݳÏíáõÙ ¿ÇÝ çñÑáñáõÙ,– áõß³¹ñáõÃÛáõÝ ã¹³ñÓ -
Ý» Éáí ·É˳ñϳ·áñÍÇ í»ñçÇÝ Ëáëù»ñÇÝ, ѳñóñ»ó ²ÉÇëÁ:

– ÆѳñÏ»,–  ѳëï³ï»ó øݳÙáõÏÁ,– çñÑáñáõÙ:
²Ûë å³ï³ë˳ÝÝ ³ÛÝå»ë ß÷áûóñ»ó Ë»Õ× ²ÉÇëÇÝ, áñ ݳ ÙÇ áñáß

Å³Ù³Ý³Ï ãÁݹѳï»ó øݳÙϳÝÁ:
– Üñ³Ýù ëáíáñáõÙ ¿ÇÝ ·ñ»É,– Ñáñ³Ýç»Éáí áõ ³ãù»ñÁ ïñáñ»Éáí

ß³ñáõݳϻó øݳÙáõÏÁ,– ·ñáõÙ »Ý ½³Ý³½³Ý μ³é»ñ, ³ÛÝ ³Ù»ÝÁ,
ÇÝã ëÏëíáõÙ ¿ §Ø¦ ï³éáí: 

(translated by S. Seferyan, Chapter VII, p.76)

Lewis Carroll is a master of creating homophonic puns. In the example mentioned
above we have on the one hand the verb to draw (to make pictures, or a picture of some-
thing, with a pencil, pen or chalk) and on the other hand, the unit to draw which means
“to move something by pulling it”. The translator cannot preserve the quintessential con-
notations of the verbs, as the Armenian translation cannot transfer the essence of the pun.
But one cannot fail to observe  that the translator managed to transfer the meaning of the
above mentioned verbs.

Conclusion

Among the figures, pun is an effective way to make the literature attractive, accurate,
striking, vivid and forceful. Thus, puns can have a crucial role in expanding different
types of meaning. Puns are the most constructive stylistic devices which can bare differ-
ent expressive-emotional-evaluative overtones in the context by creating a humorous
atmosphere. And in most of English literature pun can result in the effect of humor, wit,
beauty and economy and these effects always give people great impressions.

Homophonic puns in “Alice in Wonderland” are the impeccable gems of the work.
By creating a humorous effect they underline the essence of the content, the gist of the
plot. It is evident that puns are not always expressed in the Armenian translation, howev-
er the translator is skillful and solves this objective problem by choosing creative equiv-
alents.   

References:

1. Bergson, H. (2005) Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic. / Tr. by F.
Rothwell. Dover: Dover Publication.

2. Delbastita, D. (1996) Introduction. // Wordplay & Translation, Special Issue of the
Translator. / Ed. by D. Delbastita. Vol.2 (2), pp.127-139.

3. Cystal, D. (2004) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language.
Cambridge: CUP.

4. Redfern, W. (1985) Puns. Oxford: Blackwell.

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Sources of Data:

1. Carroll, L.  (1898) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and through the Looking-Glass.
London: J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd.

2. Carroll, L. (1994) Alisy hrashqneri ashkharhum, Alisy hayelu ashkharum. /
Targmanich S. Seferyan. Yerevan: “Samson” hrat. 

гٳÝáõÝ μ³é³Ë³ÕÇ áõëáõÙݳëÇñáõÃÛáõÝÁ §²ÉÇëÁ Ññ³ßùÝ»ñÇ ³ß˳ñÑáõÙ¦
ëï»Õͳ·áñÍáõÃÛ³Ý Ù»ç

´³ é³ Ë³ ÕÁ á ׳ ϳ½ ÙÇã ¹»ñ ¿ ˳ ÕáõÙ Èá õÇë ø» ñá ÉÇ §² ÉÇ ëÁ Ññ³ßù Ý» ñÇ ³ß -
˳ñ ÑáõÙ¦ ëï»Õ ͳ ·áñ ÍáõÃ Û³Ý Ù»ç: ¶³Õï ÝÇù ã¿, áñ μ³ é³ Ë³ ÕÇ ÑÇÙ ùáõÙ Ñáõ ÙáñÝ
¿, ¨ Ñ»Ýó Ñáõ Ùá ñÇ ³é ϳ Ûáõà ÛáõÝÝ ¿ Ï»ñ ïáõÙ Ï»ñ å³ñ Ý» ñÇ ³ é³ÝÓ Ý³ ѳ ïáõÏ ï»ÕÝ
áõ ¹» ñÁ ëï»Õ ͳ ·áñ ÍáõÃ Û³Ý Ù»ç:

êáõÛÝ Ñá¹ í³ ÍáõÙ ³ é³ÝÓ Ý³ ÏÇ ùÝÝáõÃ Û³Ý ³ é³ñ ϳ ¿ ¹³ñ Ó»É Ñ³ Ù³ ÝáõÝ μ³ é³ -
˳ Õ» ñÇ áõ ëáõ٠ݳ ëÇ ñáõà Ûáõ ÝÁ: ê³ å³Û Ù³ ݳ íáñ í³Í ¿ ³ÛÝ Ñ³Ý ·³ Ù³Ý ùáí, áñ
áÕç ëï»Õ ͳ ·áñ Íáõà Ûáõ ÝÁ Ñ» Õ»Õ í³Í ¿ μ³ é³ Ë³ Õ» ñáí` Ù³ë ݳ íá ñ³ å»ë ѳ Ù³ -
ÝáõÝ μ³ é³ Ë³ Õ» ñáí, á ñáÝù ³ñ ï³ óá ÉáõÙ »Ý ÏÛ³Ý ùÁ μ³ñ¹ áõ ѳ ϳ ë³ Ï³Ý, μ³Ûó ¨
·ñ³ íÇã áõ ³å ß»ó Ý» Éáõ ³ë ïÇ ×³Ý »ñ¨³ ϳ Û³ Ï³Ý Ó ̈ áí: г Ù³ ÝáõÝ μ³ é³ Ë³ Õ» ñÇ
áõ ëáõ٠ݳ ëÇ ñáõà Ûáõ ÝÁ μݳ· ñáõÙ, ÇÝã å»ë ݳ¨ ÃÇ ñ³Ë É»½ íáõÙ óáõÛó ¿ ï³ ÉÇë, áñ
ѳ Ù³ ÝáõÝ μ³ é³ Ë³ Õ» ñÁ ã»Ý ϳ ñáÕ μ³ é³ óÇ Ã³ñ· Ù³Ý í»É, ù³ ÝÇ áñ μݳ· ñÇ μá -
í³Ý ¹³ ÏáõÃ Û³Ý í» ñ³ñ ï³¹ ñáõà Ûáõ ÝÁ å»ïù ¿ ½áõ ·³Ïó íÇ Ýñ³ ·» Õ³ñ í»ë ï³ Ï³Ý
Ûáõ ñ³ ѳï ÏáõÃ Û³Ý å³Ñ å³Ý Ù³Ý Ñ»ï:  

Êàëàìáóð â ïðîèçâåäåíèè “Àëèñà â ñòðàíå ÷óäåñ“ â àíãëèéñêîì è àðìÿíñêîì

Êà ëàì áóð èã ðàåò ñòè ëèñòè ÷åñ êóþ ðîëü  â ïðîèç âå äå íèè Ëóè ñà Êå ðîë ëà “Àëè ñà â
ñòðà íå ÷ó äåñ”. Â îñ íî âå êà ëàì áó ðà ëå æèò þìîð, êî òî ðûé ðàñê ðû âàåò îñî áåí íîñòè
îá ðà çîâ, èõ ìåñòî è ðîëü â äàí íîé ðà áî òå.

 äàí íîé ñòàòüå ðàññ ìàò ðè âàþò ñÿ ÿçû êî âûå îñî áåí íîñòè îìî íèì íûõ êà ëàì áóð,
êî òî ðûå ÷àñòî óïîò ðåá ëÿþò ñÿ â ïðîèç âå äå íèè. Òàê æå ïðîèç âî äèò ñÿ ñðàâ íè òåëü íûé
àíà ëèç êà ëàì áóð â àíã ëèéñ êîì è àð ìÿíñ êîì. Â õî äå àíà ëè çà âûÿ âè ëîñü, ÷òî äîñ ëîâ -
íûé  ïå ðå âîä îìî íèì íûõ êà ëàì áó ðîâ íà àð ìÿíñ êèé ÿçûê ïî÷ òè íå âîç ìî æåí.

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