Jan 31st – Family Circus: Round & Around

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Family Circus featuring a misunderstanding of the word round. 

Comic Breakdown

“Do you know the world is round? – Billy to his little brother Jeffy

“Round what?” – Jeffy is confused

What is going on?

Billy is telling his little brother Jeffy that the Earth is round.  It is a sphere which is a three dimensional shape.

Jeffy does not understand.  He thinks Billy is telling him that the world (the Earth) is around something.

They are both using the word “round” in different ways.  Billy is being literal when he uses the word round.  Jeffy understands the word “round” as being the short form of the word “around”.  This is causing confusion.

Round & Around – The Adjective versus The Adverb

The meanings of round

The word round is often used as an adjective.  Adjectives are used to describe nouns (a person, place, or thing).

As an adjective, the word round can mean the following:

Used to describe something that is circular.

Ex) It can be flat like a circle.

Ex) It can be three dimensional like a sphere.

It can also describe something that is round in shape.  

The object does not have to have an entirely flat area or no sharp edges to be considered round.

The meaning of around

The word “around” is an adverb.  Adverbs describe actions (verbs).

The word around means to encircle something or to go from place to place.

Ex) Andy is walking around the neighbourhood. (He is walking in the areas near where he lives.)

Ex) John has been around the world.  (It means he has traveled to many places in the world.)

In conclusion, Billy is telling is brother the Earth is round like a sphere in shape.  Jeffy misunderstands and thinks Billy means round for “around” and wonders what the Earth is physically going (encircling) around?

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Jan 30th – Mimi & Eunice: A Penny

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Mimi & Eunice featuring a common expression in English. 

Comic Breakdown

“Penny for your thoughts?” – Eunice to Mimi

“One lousy penny? What kind of incentive is that?!  I don’t think without proper compensation!”

– Mimi to Eunice

What is going on?

Eunice would like to know what Mimi is thinking.  Mimi takes Eunice’s expression too literally.  Mimi believes her thoughts are worth more than 1 cent (a penny). 

She will not tell Eunice what is on her mind (what she is thinking) without more money (proper compensation).

Penny for your thoughts?

The phrase, “penny for your thoughts?”, is a common way for people to ask others who are in deep thought what they are thinking.  The expression is meant to lighten the mood when one is very serious or worried.

Penny for your thoughts? = What are you thinking?/Tell me what you are thinking?  

You do not actually pay anyone any money when you use this expression.  The phrase is meant to show concern and that your ideas and worries are just as important as anyone else’s.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here.

Jan 28th – Hi & Lois: to spring

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Hi & Lois featuring the figurative use of the word spring.  

Comic Breakdown

Hi and Lois are sleeping and dreaming of a vacation in a warm place.

“Were you dreaming what I was dreaming?” – Hi to Lois

“Probably.” – Lois

“Why can’t our dreams ever come true?” – Hi to Lois

“They can…if we’re willing to spring for a winter vacation.” – Lois to Hi

What is going on?

It is the middle of winter and they both want to get away from the cold weather.  They can take a vacation to a nice warm place if they are willing to pay for winter vacation.

Winter Vacation

Taking a winter vacation does not mean to take a holiday to a cold place.  A winter vacation is a trip you take in the winter.  It could be to anywhere; cold or warm.  All it means is that one takes a vacation during the winter season. 

The meaning of spring

Spring has several meanings.

1.The season that takes place between the months of March to May (noun/adjective)

2.to move or jump suddenly (up or forward) (verb)

3.a metal or plastic device/tool that is bouncy (noun)

The expression “to spring”

The saying “to spring” means to go for something.  Lois says that they can have a vacation in winter if they will go for the idea of it. 

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, and here.

Jan 26th – Family Circus: Scream and Screen

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Family Circus featuring an example of a malapropism.   Malapropisms are words that are similar in sound and spelling but do not share a meaning.

Comic Breakdown

“It’s called a scream door ’cause that’s where they scream at us to come in for dinner.” 

– Dolly to Jeffy

What is going on?

Dolly thinks the door is called a scream door because that is where her parents shout at her and her brothers when it is time to come inside to eat.

Dolly has misheard the name of the door.  The door is called a “screen door” and not a “scream door”.  This is an example of a malapropism.  Screen and scream sound very similar but do not mean the same thing.

Scream: This means to shout in excitement or if you are scared.

Screen: A screen is a fixed panel or area.  It is used to divide (separate) something or to block something but still allows one to see through it like a window.  A screen can be made out of plastic, glass or even out of a metal mesh. 

Why the screen door is called a screen door? 

A screen door is a door in which the top half or the entire door is made out of glass or a see through metal mesh.

To read more about malapropisms, click here, here, and here.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here.

Jan 24th – Mimi & Eunice: The meaning of civil

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Mimi & Eunice featuring the different meanings of the world civil. 

To read more about Mimi & Eunice, click here.

Comic Breakdown

Mimi runs with a knife in a scary way towards Eunice

“You promised to be civil!” – Eunice to Mimi

“I am being civil!” – Mimi to Eunice

Mimi starts running again at Eunice

“You didn’t specify which civilization!” – Mimi to Eunice

What is going on?

Mimi is being very scary and rough with Eunice.  Eunice had asked Mimi to be nice and polite.  She asked Mimi to do this when she asked Mimi to be “civil”.

Telling someone to be “civil” comes from the idea of telling someone to act like they are civilized.  This means to behave with good manners and to follow social norms. 

Telling or asking someone to be civil is the same as telling them to act polite, calm, and respectful.  Mimi is not doing anything of this.  But she is still being civil.  How?

The word civil is the root word of the word civilization.

What do civil and civilization mean?

The word civil has a few definitions.  One definition defines civil as meaning “social order and organization.”

 The Roman Civilization

The word civil and civilization are related in meaning because the word civilization means a type of organized society and culture. 

Why is this comic funny?

Mimi has taken the word civil and used its meaning to her advantage.

Mimi has chosen to be civil in the civilization of her choosing.  Mimi has chosen to act like someone from a less gentle and more warrior based civilization.  Also, Mimi can do this because Eunice never said which form of civil she wanted Mimi to be.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here. 

Introducing Mimi & Eunice

Hello everyone!

A new comic that I am going to start featuring on this blog is Mimi & Eunice. 

Who are Mimi and Eunice?

Mimi and Eunice is an American comic that features issues that are about politics, love, money, and psychology.  The comic is drawn and written by Nina Paley and has been around since 2010.

Mimi has pointy ears and Eunice has floppy ears.

Today’s images are from here and here.

Jan 21st – The Peanuts & Irony Continued

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Peanuts featuring Lucy and the topic of irony.

To read more about irony, click here.

Comic Breakdown

“I make the world better!  I’m a positive force! – Lucy to Charlie Brown and Linus

What is going on?

Lucy is explaining she makes things better by helping others.   Her character loves to give advice.  She thinks she knows everything and can help everyone. 

What is irony?

Irony is when a situation is funny because things are the opposite of what is expected.

For example, someone is stranded (alone with no help) in the ocean and has no water to drink.

This is ironic because the person has no drinking water but is surrounded by water (water they cannot drink because it is full of salt).

Why is this ironic?

For Lucy to say that she is a “positive force” means she makes things better.  Why is this ironic?  Lucy is not usually a very nice person. 

For example, she does not treat her friends or family nicely.  Usually, she does not try to be mean but she says what she is thinking whether it is nice or mean.  She can easily make people feel bad by accident.

Lucy telling her brother Linus he is stupid.

Lucy is being ironic when she says she is a “positive force” (meaning a bringer of good things) because she does not bring good feelings to those around her.

The Peanuts character Lucy is a very honest and opinionated person.  That is why even though she thinks she is helping she usually makes people feel worse.  People do not see her as a positive (good) force.  That is why it is ironic for her to say she is a positive force.  Everyone else thinks her actions and words are a negative (bad) force.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, and here.

Jan 19th – Charlie Brown & Picking

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Peanuts featuring Charlie Brown and the two meanings of the word picking.

Comic Breakdown

“Why’s everyone always pickin’ on me?” – Charlie Brown’s thoughts on how people treat him

What does pickin’ (picking) mean?

The word picking (from “to pick”) has two meanings.   One if literal (actual) and the other is figurative.

Literal Meaning: Picking means to touch and take/grab something

Ex) picking apples from a tree

Figurative Meaning: Picking means to give someone a bad or hard time.  A mean person (a bully) will pick on (go after) someone they think is weaker.  You can pick on someone physically or mentally.

Ex) calling someone mean names (mental)

Ex) acting like you will or actually hitting someone (physical)

Charlie Brown isn’t being treated nicely by Lucy.  She is picking on him.

What is going on?

The Peanut’s character Charlie Brown is a lovable loser.  He is an average child who is neither lucky nor talented.  He has friends but they do not always treat him well or with respect.  Some, such as Lucy, love to trick him. 

Other’s like to point out things that Charlie Brown could be better at.  Many of Charlie Brown’s friends make him feel bad by accident because they tell him the truth. 

Despite this, Charlie Brown always stays positive in the end.  This is why his character is so well loved.  He is forever hopeful.

To read more about Charlie Brown and his hard times, click here and here.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Jan 18th – Charlie Brown & Irony

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Peanuts featuring Charlie Brown and the topic of irony.

Comic Breakdown

Charlie Brown walking sadly to Lucy’s stand to get advice.

“…And so I can’t help it…I feel lonely…depressed…” – Charlie Brown explaining his feelings

“This is ridiculous! You should be ashamed of yourself, Charlie Brown! You’ve got the whole world to live in! The beauty all around you!  There are things to do…great things to be accomplished!  No man trods this Earth alone!  We are all together; one generation taking up where the other generation has left off! – Lucy to Charlie Brown

“You’re right, Lucy!  You’re right!  You’ve made me see things differently…I realize now that I am part of this world…I am not alone…I have friends!” – Charlie Brown

“Name one!” – Lucy to Charlie Brown

What is going on?

Charlie Brown feels sad because he feels like there is no one there for him; like he does not have any friends.   Lucy explains to him that he is not alone and that he is a very lucky person. 

After Lucy advises and yells at him, Charlie Brown realizes that he is not alone and that he has friends.  He becomes happy.  Then Lucy asks him to name a friend.  This makes Charlie Brown feel sad again.

Why is this comic funny?

This comic uses irony to be funny.  It is an ironic situation.

What is irony?

Irony can be the use of words or a situation that means the opposite of what is literally happening. 

Irony in this comic

In this comic, it is the situation that is ironic.  Charlie Brown has gone to his “friend” Lucy for advice because he feels like he has no friends and is lonely.  She reminds him of how lucky he is but when she does make him feel better she makes him sad again.  By asking him to name one friend it is suggested that she does not believe he has any real friends.

This comic is ironic for two reasons:

1) Lucy’s advice is meant to make Charlie Brown feel better but instead it makes him feel worse.

2) Charlie Brown has gone to his friend Lucy for advice but she does not even consider herself to be his friend which is why she asks him at the end to name one friend.  In summary, his friend wants him to prove he has friends.

Note: Lucy is one of Charlie Brown’s friends.  She just is not very nice to him or to many people.

To read more Peanuts comics featuring Charlie Brown and Lucy, click here.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here.

Jan 15th – Family Circus & Sledding

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is a Family Circus that highlights a fun winter sport. 

Comic Breakdown

Billy is going sledding. 

Why is this funny?

Billy is using a skateboard to go sledding.  Many would consider this weird and others would consider this smart. 

Though you could use a skateboard to go sledding most people would not.  A very popular alternative to use as a sled are cardboard boxes.  You can go down a hill in a box as is or you can reshape it into a sled shape.

What is sledding?

Sledding is a worldwide winter sport, activity, and form of transportation.  Using a sled, a person may slide down a hill, mountain or steep ground.  Sleds are flat board devices made out of wood, plastic or metal. 

Wooden Sled

 Plastic Sled

Sledding is a popular winter sport in many parts of the world; especially in North America and Europe. 

Sledding goes by different names in different parts of the English world. 

Other popular names for the sport in English are sledging or tobogganing.

In other languages, sledding goes by the names of:

French (Français): Luge

Swedish (Svenska): Kälksport

Polish (Polski): Sanki

German (Deutsch): Rodeln

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, here, and here .

Jan 13th – Dilbert & Blowing Off Steam

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Dilbert.   

Comic Breakdown

“My computer kept locking up, so I had to let off some steam.” – Alice

“You can’t fix your computer by punching it!” – Pointy Haired Boss

“Why would I punch my computer?  That’s crazy.” – Alice

“Alice?” – Male Colleague

What is going on?

Alice was getting very upset at work because her computer kept stopping.  The specific word to describe her emotion would be “frustration”.  Therefore Alice had to let out her anger by punching (hitting) something.  She hit a computer screen. 

What does “steam” mean?

The word steam means water in an invisible gas form.

As slang, the word steam means anger or strong emotions of negativity.

When one says that they are letting off steam, they are being figurative by comparing themselves to a kettle that has reached its boiling point.

                                            

To relieve pressure (the feeling of frustration) a person, like a kettle, must let off steam!

The phrase, “letting off steam” or “blowing off steam” is a popular figure of speech.   You use both expressions to describe when you need to do something to relieve yourself when you feel upset or stressed about something. 

Why is this funny?

Alice let go of anger (blew off steam) by punching a computer screen.  But it was not her computer screen.  If she punched and broke her own computer how could she do her job?  Instead, she punched her colleague’s computer screen!

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, here, and here.