PARAPROSDOKIANS I

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence, phrase, or larger discourse is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to re-frame or re-interpret the first part. Paraprosdokians are frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect and are very popular among comedians and satirists. For example, "Take my wife - please!" Some paraprosdokians  not only change the meaning of an earlier phrase, but they also play on the double meaning of a particular word. For example, "If there's a will, I want to be in it."

EXAMPLES:

1. "Take my wife - please!" - Henny Youngman

2. "On the other hand, you have different fingers." - Steven Wright

3. "A modest man, who has much to be modest about." - Winston Churchill

4. "I don't belong to an organized political party. I'm a Democrat. - Will Rogers

5. "I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it." - Groucho Marks

6. "If I could just say a few words...........I'd be a better public speaker." - Homer Simpson

7. "My wife - it's difficult to say what she does - she sells sea shells on the sea shore." - Milton Jones

8. "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marks