Monday 29 November 2010

Happy Monday - Paraprosdokian sentences

A paraprosdokian (from Greek "para-", meaning "beyond" and "proasdokia", meaning "expectation") is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part.....just read the items below and you'll get the idea. (With thanks to Carol!)

I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.

We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening', and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.

I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay checks.

Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "In an emergency, notify:" I put "DOCTOR".

I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it...so I said "Implants?"

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

5 comments:

  1. My favourite is the one about light travelling faster than sound :-D

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  2. This is superb. Makes a Monday, a storm ridden Monday happy.

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  3. Thank you for the humour, always appreciated!

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  4. A few of my favorites for you:
    "A word to the wise ain't necessary...it's the stupid ones that need the advice." (attributed to Bill Cosby)

    "If love is the answer, could you please rephrase the question?"
    (Lily Tomlin)

    "Roses are red. Violets are blue. I'm schizophrenic. And so am I." (Oscar Levant)

    :^) ;^) ;^0

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  5. That cheered me up on an otherwise dull Monday at sea.

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