History Main / TomSwifty

See StealthPun for when the puns are hidden more covertly and {{Pun}} for a range of {{Pun}} subtropes. Also compare BattyBooks.

* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' series is littered with them, most captured at [[http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/ The Annotated Pratchett File]]. Probably the first was in ''Discworld/TheLightFantastic'' about [[GrimReaper Death]], after being summoned by the Rite of [=AshkEnte=]:

** It was also used in combination with a ShoutOut in ''Discworld/SoulMusic'' which is about [[strike: Rock and Roll]] Music With Rocks In.

** Used in ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'' for a double-barrelled pun (admittedly, the same one, but still):

* "I need to revive the cookware" Tom said, deadpan.

* "I need to revive the cookware" Tom said with a deadpan voice.

-->"You're only average," he said meanly.
-->"I have to go to the hardware store," he said wrenchingly.
-->"Would you like a soda," he asked spritely.
* Much of the plot of David Lubar's ''Literature/SleepingFreshmenNeverLie'' actually ''depends'' on Tom Swifties. As such, there are many scattered throughout the book.

* Mark Rosewater of ''MagicTheGathering'' held a Magic-related Tom Swifty contest a few years ago. The results can be seen [[http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr115 here.]] (All the way down - they will only make sense if you know the cards they're referencing, though.)

* "I'm trying to read Darwin's ''Voyage of the Beagle'', Tom said doggedly.

See StealthPun for when the puns are hidden more covertly and {{Pun}} for a range of {{Pun}} subtropes.

* "I've dropped my toothpaste," said Tom, Crest�fallen.
* "We're out of toothpaste," said Tom, Aim�lessly.

* "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," said Tom rhetorically [[note]]''GoneWithTheWind''[[/note]].

The name is a reference to the ''Literature/TomSwift'' series of books. They did not use the trope much themselves, rather the books and similar children's books of the time (''NancyDrew'', ''HardyBoys'' and other dialogue-heavy pint-sized detective novels) went to great lengths to avoid just repeating plain words like "said" and "tell" over and over again. So they employed many adverbs and alternatives: the Said-Bookism is deservedly [[SaidBookism its own trope.]] The Tom Swifty then arose later as an effective way of parodying this style [[BeamMeUpScotty until it became associated strongly with the original series itself.]]

--> [[/folder]]

[[folder: I was at a party ]]
, he added, a shade reproachfully.

---> [[/folder]]

[[folder: Thank you ]]
, said the grateful Death.

[[AC:Fan Works]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

--> [[AC:I was at a party]], he added, a shade reproachfully.

---> [[AC:Thank you]], said the grateful Death.

[[AC:Other]]

* "I owe you £20," said Tom, with a score to settle.

* "I've dropped my toothpaste," said Tom, Crest™fallen.
* "We're out of toothpaste," said Tom, Aim™lessly.

* "Fearless and Red are among my favorite albums," said Tom [[TaylorSwift Swiftly]].

* "That martial artist looks a bit glum," Tom said [[BruceLee sadly]].

A TomSwifty (alternatively spelled TomSwiftie) is the use of the attribution of a quotation as a pun on some aspect of the content of the quotation. Less eloquently put, [[BuffySpeak it's a joke where the bit that says who said something and how they said it is a pun on what was said]]. Even more simply, it's a joke based on the SaidBookism used.

The name is a reference to the ''TomSwift'' series of books. They did not use the trope much themselves, rather the books and similar children's books of the time (''NancyDrew'', ''HardyBoys'' and other dialogue-heavy pint-sized detective novels) went to great lengths to avoid just repeating plain words like "said" and "tell" over and over again. So they employed many adverbs and alternatives: the Said-Bookism is deservedly [[SaidBookism its own trope.]] The TomSwifty then arose later as an effective way of parodying this style [[BeamMeUpScotty until it became associated strongly with the original series itself.]]

The exact point at which something is considered a TomSwifty and not something else varies. Some insist that it only counts as a TomSwifty when the pun is in the adverb, if the pun is in the verb it is often called a Croaker after the example ''"I might as well be dead," Tom croaked.''

* The New York Times [[http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/weekend-competition-tom-swifties/#comment-13201 held a contest]] for the top {{TomSwiftie}}s.

" "My favourite music show's on!" cried Tom with abandon.

* "For hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee!" Tom wailed [[note]]MobyDick[[/note]].