if you'll pardon/excuse/forgive the pun

[WilliamTaft]

An example sentence using "pun" in The Britannica Dictionary: The delicatessen is sandwiched, if you'll pardon/excuse/forgive the pun, between two stores.

I can't understand the bolded sentence. Is "pun" not a good thing, so it needs to be pardoned?

 

[tedmc]

A pun is meant to be playful, so I don't see the need to ask for pardon.

 

[Tarheel]

@WilliamTaft
Some people groan when they hear a pun. Do you see the pun in that sentence?

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, we use "pardon the pun" a lot. Even though we've probably made the pun intentionally, we almost make out it was an accident. We're saying "Ignore how hilarious I am and concentrate on the main meaning of my sentence". We're not really apologising or asking for forgiveness. It also draws attention to the pun for anyone who might have missed it!

 

[Tarheel]

I think puns (along with jokes) are things that are often puzzling to ESL learners. (I could be wrong, but I don't think so.)

 

[Silverhand]

I think puns (along with jokes) are things that are often puzzling to ESL learners. (I could be wrong, but I don't think so.)

The past, the present, and the future walk into a bar. It was tense!

 

[Amigos4]

I enjoy puns! Seven days without a pun makes one weak.

 

[Skrej]

The effete of the 18th century held that "puns were the lowest form of humor". Anything that didn't mimic the supposed elegance and dignity of Greek and Roman literary forms was considered lowbrow, so deliberate attempts to play and mangle the language were viewed as gauche.

There's a (now antiquated) saying variously attributed to Samuel Johnson and Alexander Pope (and possibly others) that goes something like "He who would pun would pick a pocket."

The Johnson/Pope quote was used in a funny scene from the excellent movie Master and Commander.