Project Proposal as of 12/2

Word Play For Play


Concept
I have long been interested in language and word play and the multiple meanings words
can bring to conversation. I became inspired after a conversation a friend and I had in
which there was confusion when one of us mentioned “mailmen”. I laughed, thinking my
friend had meant “male men”. I was struck by the realization of never having thought
of the confusion that could result with this word. The English language is immensely
confusing, even for native speakers. There are continuous instances of mis-communication
resulting from the absurdity and whimsy of the play with words. I plan on researching
the varied and multiple aspects of word play; including puns, spoonerisms, rhetorical
excursions, absurdisms, idioms and other figures of speech that make the English
language complex and interesting. Upon completing my research on the broad topic of
word play, I plan directing my focus on one — or no more than three — aspects of the topic to focus on and develop into my degree project.


Audience
Lovers of language, the dictionary, and word play.
Designers/design-minded people with an interest in typography and the printed word.
Fans of puns, idioms and clever wit

Subject
Outcomes are likely to focus on short snippets of words which accumulate into a larger
body of work with a driving theme. e.g. 8 objects/products incorporating double-meaning
utilizing homonyms and homophones OR a book of 26 typographic studies on verbal wit
and whimsy

Project Goals
Share my interest in words and language with others
Bring wit and humor to everyday communication
Ignite a conversation about the meaning of language through the absurdity of language

Project Influences
Authors — Lewis Carroll, James Joyce, Mark Twain
Comedians — George Carlin (seven dirty words), Groucho Marx (famous quotes),
Abbott & Costello (who’s on first)
Design — Push Pin Studios (visual word play), Yee Haw Industries (storetry), Jack
Fisher (email books), Andrew Byrom (sculptural typeface designs), Stephanie DeArmond
(sculptural letterforms and humorous phrases on objects), Yulia Brodyskaya (paper-cut
typographic illustraions), Keetra Dean Dixon (comforters, half wishes half lies, objects of
co-depedence)

Research and Source Materials
Design Humor: The Art of Graphic Wit by Steven Heller
Conundrums: Typographic Conundrums by Harry Pearce
Aspects of Verbal Humor in English by Richard Alexander
The Oxford Guide to Word Games by Tony Augarde