Scientists say listeners who hear groan-inducing puns are actually GRATEFUL for ... trends now
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We've all rolled our eyes or shook our heads at a pun-filled 'dad joke', but the truth is we secretly love them, a study has suggested.
In fact emitting a 'groan' is not a negative response, but 'indicative of approval', surprised researchers discovered.
The study at Northern Illinois University in the US probed nearly 300 people on their preferred style of jokes - both to give and receive - while also asking each respondent to take a personality test.
It had hoped to discover whether those who 'punished' their friends and loved ones with a groan-worthy play on words were 'everyday sadists'.
Stand-up comedian Jimmy Carr (pictured) is famed for his hilarious 'punny' one-liners
Emitting a 'groan' after a pun is not a negative response, but 'indicative of approval', surprised researchers discovered (Pictured: Pun-loving jokester Milton Jones)
But according to the results, pun-tellers were not sadistic, and receivers were actually grateful, as puns were among the most popular jokes to hear.
It's punderful news for comedians such as Jimmy Carr, Milton Jones or Tim Vine, who are all known for their hilarious one-liners.
It's bad news for their US-based countryman and political pun-dit John Oliver, however, who once branded them 'not just the lowest form of wit, but the lowest form of human behaviour.'
Samuel Johnson, author of the 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, also had a scathing review of the wordplay, once
