An anti-proverb is the transformation of a stereotype word sequence – as e. g. a proverb

Proverb

A proverb is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of conduct may also be known as a maxim...

, a quotation

Quotation

A quotation or quote is the repetition of one expression as part of another one, particularly when the quoted expression is well-known or explicitly attributed by citation to its original source, and it is indicated by quotation marks.A quotation can also refer to the repeated use of units of any...

, or an idiom

Idiom

Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...

 – for humorous

Humour

Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...

 effect. To have full effect, an anti-proverb must be based on a known proverb. For example, "If at first you don't succeed, quit" is only funny if the hearer knows the standard proverb "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Anti-proverbs are used commonly in advertising.

Stereotype sequences are essentially defined phrases well-known to many people, as e. g. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. When this sequence slightly changed (Don’t bite the hand that looks dirty) it is termed a transformation.

Classification on formal criteria

• Association
  Association (psychology)
  In psychology and marketing, two concepts or stimuli are associated when the experience of one leads to the effects of another, due to repeated pairing. This is sometimes called Pavlovian association for Ivan Pavlov's pioneering of classical conditioning....
  
  : The similarity to the original sequence is strong enough to identify it, but there is no further connection: The early worm is being picked first.
• Change of homonym
  Homonym
  In linguistics, a homonym is, in the strict sense, one of a group of words that often but not necessarily share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings...
  
  s: A word which has several meanings is interpreted in a new way: Where there's a will, there's a lawsuit
• Combination: Two sequences are combined: One brain washes the other.
• Occasional allusion
  Allusion
  An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work, myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication. M. H...
  
  s: A special connection can be seen not by language but by the situation: This won't help, Pilate! is written on an electric hand dryer.
• Permutation
  Permutation
  In mathematics, the notion of permutation is used with several slightly different meanings, all related to the act of permuting objects or values. Informally, a permutation of a set of objects is an arrangement of those objects into a particular order...
  
  : While keeping the syntactic structure, the words are jumbled: A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
• Abridgement
  Abridgement
  Abridgement or abridgment is a term defined as "shortening" or "condensing" and is most commonly used in reference to the act of reducing a written work, typically a book, into a shorter form...
  
  : The sequence is cut and thus changed completely: All's well that ends.
• Substitution
  Substitution
  Substitution may refer to:- Sciences :* Substitution , a syntactic transformation on strings of symbols of a formal language* Substitution of variables* Substitution cipher, a method of encryption...
  
  : Parts of the sequence are replaced: Absence makes the heart go wander.
• Supplementation: A sentence with a contrasting meaning is added to the original sequence: A man's home is his castle – let him clean it.
• Syntactic
  Syntax
  In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
  
   change: The semantic structure of the sentence changes while the sequence of words stays the same: Men think: "God governs." – A good man will think of himself: after, all the others.

Classification on content criteria

• Mitigation: The meaning seems kept, but is qualified by the supplement: Everything has an end, but a pudding has two.
• Apology
  Apologetics
  Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
  
  : The original sequence is defended against attacks: German example, translated: Art (Kunst) comes from 'able' (können), not from 'will' (wollen), or we'd better call it wirt (Wulst, fantasy word).
• Athesis: The message of the original sequence is destroyed but no new meaning is established: Guns don't kill – ammunition does.
• Conservation: The meaning is similar, with and without the supplement: There is no such thing as a free lunch, but there is always free cheese in a mousetrap.
• Contrast
  Contrast (linguistics)
  In semantics, contrast is a relationship between two discourse segments. Contrast is often overtly marked by markers such as but or however, such as in the following examples:# It's raining, but I am not taking an umbrella....
  
  : The original meaning is put in relation to another sphere of life: All we need is love – all we get is homework.
• Break of metaphor
  Metaphor
  A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
  
  : Metaphors are interpreted literally: Duty is calling? We call back.
• Neogenesis: The meaning of the new sentence is completely independent of the original one: An onion a day keeps everybody away.
• Rejection: The original assertion is rejected: When marriage is outlawed, only outlaws will have in-laws.
• Synthesis: A meaningful sentence consists of some phrases; Some of these classes are divided into sub-classes.

Types of humorous effects

• Bisociation: This is a technical term coined by Arthur Koestler
  Arthur Koestler
  Arthur Koestler CBE was a Hungarian author and journalist. Koestler was born in Budapest and, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria...
  
  . He says that a funny text is situated in two different semantic levels. In the beginning, the hearer or reader is aware of only one of them. In the punch line, the second level comes up so suddenly that he starts laughing. The sudden coming up of the second level is the point. For example: I only want your best – your money.
• Destruction: If the sublime is pulled down to banality, some of us feel validated. Generally, this is funnier than the contrary. Therefore many humorous transformations are made up this way: Jesus may love you – but will he respect you in the morning?
• Contrast of form and meaning: A banal clumsiness is rendered in a rather lofty literary expression. This might also be funny if the original sequence is unknown to the hearer or reader.
• Fictional catastrophe: Unlike real disasters, catastrophes which are only made up or solved in one's mind might be humorous, as can be seen in the quotation: The light at the end of the tunnel is only muzzle flash.

Further reading

• Gossler, Erika: Besser arm dran als Bein ab. Anti-Sprichwörter und ihresgleichen. Vienna 2005. (In German) ISBN 3-7069-0162-5
• Mieder, Wolfgang and Anna Tothne Litovkina. 2002. Twisted Wisdom: Modern Anti-Proverbs. De Proverbio.
• Litovkina, Anna Tóthné and Wolfgang Mieder
  Wolfgang Mieder
  Wolfgang Mieder is professor of German and folklore at the University of Vermont, in Burlington, Vermont, USA. He is a graduate of Olivet College , the University of Michigan , and Michigan State University...
  
   and Csaba Földes. 2006. Old proverbs never die, they just diversify: a collection of anti-proverbs. Burlington: University of Vermont and Veszprém, Hungary: Pannonian University of Veszprém.
• Reznikov, Andrey. 2009. Old Wine in New Bottles. Modern Russian Anti-Proverbs. Proverbium Supplement Series, Volume 27. ISBN 978-0-9817122-1-5