Morrace
Friday 9th October 2009 8:09pm
2,727 posts
Quote: Stu R @ October 9 2009, 1:45 PM BST
Helen's is better because it makes sense in a literal way, i.e. she can't stop reflecting on objects, as well as the figurative way. Using 'on reflection' is just using an expression that has a word that has two meanings, rather than a full sentence, so it lacks the comedic punch.
Very interesting points, Stu R - and may I say, eloquently put. However...
My re-work of Helen's line "Last Night I Ate A Mirror Now I Cant Stop Reflecting On Things" into - "Last Night I Ate A Mirror; I don't think it was a good idea... on reflection", is the defining characteristic of modern hilarity no less; and therefore well within the genre of post-cultural comedy. The premise of such carefully constructed dialogue such as my carefully thought out pause, "... on reflection", states that discourse comes from my hyper-creative comedic brain , resulting in 'lol' multiplied by 1,000,000 - and then some.
It could be said that if neo-dialectic comic narrative within the context of the afore-mentioned line, "Last Night I Ate A Mirror; I don't think it was a good idea... on reflection" - holds; we have to choose between the sub-textual paradigm of context and relative 'Lol Factor' that may, or may not be found within, as you say, "a word that has two meanings" - or to give it the correct term - a double-entendre.