Same word, different uses

By Our Special Correspondent

English language is sometimes seems to be complicated and confusing. At the same time, it also makes us curious.

Most words have multiple meanings and specific usage. This is not a deliberate trap to make languages difficult; it’s mostly a result of our own blurring of concepts and ideas, and our tendency to constantly use words and expressions in new ways.

One particularly interesting word in this regard is ‘funny.’ This is short, simple word used almost every day, and one which we learn very early when we start learning English. We all know what it means – ‘funny’ is something amusing, invoking laughter.

But there are a few more common connotations of the word, which vary significantly from the standard meaning. When you say someone is ‘being funny’ you are saying that they are being amusing and entertaining, making people laugh with their jokes.

But if you say ‘something’ is ‘acting funny’ you mean that there is something unusual goings on. For example, you could say, ‘my stomach is acting funny today, maybe it’s some food poisoning.’ Similarly, you might refer to your car or two-wheeler, saying, ‘the engine has been acting funny lately, looks like it’s time for a servicing.’

The word can also be used in the sense of ‘curious’. Or if some friends of yours are behaving a little strangely, you might say, ‘they are up to some funny business, I suspect.’ In this case, ‘funny’ would mean mischievous or just strange, and not amusing or entertaining. If you find someone speaking in a somewhat unusual way, you might say, ‘She had a funny accent.’

And of course, there are times when ‘funny’ can mean ‘not funny at all.’ If someone tries to crack a joke or make some witty remark but it does not work, you can respond with ‘very funny,’ meaning ‘that was not funny at all’.

If someone makes a joke at your expense, and you find it somewhat annoying, you might respond with ‘very funny.’ As you can imagine, the meaning ‘I’m not amused’ is mostly conveyed through the tone.

Another important difference is that when you use the phrase ‘very funny’ in a complete sentence, it retains its usual sense of amusing or entertaining. The word can be used in its sarcastic sense only when you say the phrase independently, and not in a complete sentence.

Which is why I find it particularly fitting that the word ‘funny’ can be both strange and ‘not funny’ at times.