"PUNS AS A LINGUISTIC PHENOMENON: TYPES AND FUNCTIONS"

Аннотация

Puns represent one of the most expressive and multifunctional stylistic devices in human language. They are based on the intentional use of lexical ambiguity, phonetic similarity, or semantic contrast to create humorous, ironic, persuasive, or aesthetic effects. As a linguistic phenomenon, puns occupy an important place in literature, media discourse, advertising, everyday communication, and digital communication. This article examines the concept of puns from linguistic and stylistic perspectives, analyzes their major types, and explores their communicative and pragmatic functions. Special attention is given to homophonic, homographic, lexical, syntactic, and semantic puns. The study also investigates the role of puns in developing creativity, enriching speech, and increasing audience engagement. The research demonstrates that puns are not only humorous language tools but also important mechanisms for cognitive interaction and cultural expression.