What does no pun intended mean exactly?

Question

when people say no pun intended, what are they saying? its confusing...and how do i choose if someone made the best answer..what do i click and where do i go

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Hey mate. Well for starters, a pun is a play on words. So for example, I will quote this phrase to you: "the pun is mightier than the sword!" However we all know that the proper phrase is "the PEN is mightier than the sword." Therefore, the first phrase I quoted was a pun - a play on the word "pen."

Now what happens sometimes, and you will find this often in articles that are intended to be humorous, is that the phrase will be quoted with the added remark, "no pun intended"

eg: The pun is mightier than the sword. (no pun intended!)

It's really just a light-hearted way for the writer to acknowledge the fact that they have made a pun, but wasn't necessarily intended to come out that way. In some cases the pun really *was* intended, but like I said it's just a funny way of bringing it to the notice of the reader.

As far as choosing a best answer, you have the ability to pick one within three days of asking the question - it's fairly straightforward, there should be an option under each of your answers to pick it as the best. Anything after three days, and the question goes to a vote, which means the whole Yahoo Answers community get to pick a best answer.

Hope that helps!

And just remember - you can tune a guitar, but you can't tuna fish! (no pun intended...)

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

It was not short lol. but it was simple and to the point. I like that. Thank you.

Answer 2

The phrase "no pun intended" actually means if you're talking about something, and at the same time make a pun or joke about it, you would say "no pun intended" to let people know you weren't trying to make a joke.

Answer 3

No pun intended means that whatever the person said previous to this saying was not meant to be funny even though it could be taken in a humorous way.

Source(s):

I am just a smartie pants I guess. lol!

Answer 4

they've answered so i'll just add you can use it for pun too


(given ten items and one is to choose the best) --> no pun in 10 did.

Source(s):

<('oo')>

Answer 5

A pun, as you may be aware is a figure of speech which would have two meanings(a literary meaning and also a meaning that is different from the literary meaning). When a statement has pun and PUN NOT INTENDED, it means you have to take the literary meaning itself and not the figurative sense of it.