Are You A Pun Hater Or A Pun Lover?

Puns may be groan-worthy, but as author and former O. Henry World Pun-Off champion John Pollack points out in his book, "The Pun Also Rises: How The Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics," puns were instrumental in the development of language.

Puns are frequently used in advertising, and even the humble knock-knock joke can help children develop a deeper understanding of language. John Pollack's book comes out in paperback next week.

This segment originally broadcast in May, 2011.