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A Spanish Pun to Save the Planet!


By Silvia Lopez-Cepero - Posted on 31 July 2008

papel punA recent environmental campaign in Spain encouraging people to recycle paper has adopted a clever marketing slogan, linguistically speaking.

Do you get the pun or double meaning of the slogan on the paper recycling bin in this photo?

If you don't, here's some help...

In Spanish, papel means both 'paper' and 'role', as in a person playing a social role.

So the slogan can be understood to say that 'your role is important'; indicating, in other words, that everyone's participation in the national recycling program is important to protect the environment.

But of course it's also saying that 'your paper is important'; which means that NOT recycling it negatively affects us all.

Like English, Spanish can play with language in very subtle and interesting ways. Can anyone think of another pun in Spanish?

What about English? Is there any pun which works in both languages equally?

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