Three-quarters of all postgrads say they enjoy puns
In a recent survey that polled national appreciation for puns, YouGov finds that 59% of Americans have an affinity for this type of wordplay.
Research from YouGov Omnibus reports that while the majority appreciates a good pun, more say they like (38%) this form of humor than love it (21%). Few report that they dislike (7%) or hate (3%) puns. More people (31%) say they’re unsure of how they feel about puns than say anything negative towards them.
Younger Americans are particularly fond of puns – at least two-thirds (68%) of millennials report that they either like (39%) or love (29%) a play on words. Middle-aged Americans between the ages of 35 and 54 align more with the general sentiment, with slightly more than half (57%) saying they like or love puns. Just over half (53%) of Americans age 55 and over report they like or love puns and are also the likeliest group to say they’re unsure (35%) of how they feel on the matter.
The extent of one’s education might factor into one’s appreciation of puns. Americans who pursue higher levels of education report higher rates of positive sentiment towards puns. More than three-quarters (76%) of those who attained a postgraduate degree say they like or love puns. The positive trend persists with Americans who completed a 4-year college degree (72%) or at least some college (65%). High school graduates (46%) and those who never finished high school (35%) are the only two groups to dip below half on whether they appreciate puns.
Data from YouGov Profiles reveals just how puns and wordplay humor rank among things that make people laugh. For pun enthusiasts who say they either like or love puns, wordplay ranks third (34%) behind observations on everyday life (74%) and observations on news and current affairs (49%). For those who hate or don’t like puns at all, wordplay ranks sixth (16%) behind observations on everyday life (62%), observations on news and current affairs (35%), controversial or taboo subjects (21%), impressions (21%), and funny and surreal sketches (20%).
Read more results from this poll here
Learn more about YouGov Omnibus and YouGov Profiles
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