Charades

::For the 1963 movie starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, see Charade.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charades or charade is a word guessing game.

Related Topics:
Word - Guessing game

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the form most commonly played today, it is an acting game in which one player acts out a word or phrase, often by pantomiming similar-sounding words, and the other players guess the word or phrase. The idea is to use physical rather than verbal language to convey the meaning to another party.

Related Topics:
Word - Phrase - Pantomiming

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Though less commonly used nowadays, a charade was originally also used to indicate a form of linguistic riddle which the listener must guess the meaning of, either through verse or through prose, often syllable by syllable.

Related Topics:
Riddle - Syllable

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charades are reportedly to have originated in France in the 18th century, and later spread across Europe and around the world. Early charades involved the use of elaborate verbal riddles to guess each syllable of a chosen word or phrase, as in Jane Austen's Emma. One famous composer of such charades is Winthrop Mackworth Praed. An example of this form of charade, taken from an early American magazine in 1834, goes like this:

Related Topics:
France - 18th century - Europe - Jane Austen - Emma - Winthrop Mackworth Praed - American - Magazine - 1834

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:"My first, tho? water, cures no thirst,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:My next alone has soul,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:And when he lives upon my first,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:He then is called my whole."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The answer to this charade is "sea-man". Another, composed by Jane Austen herself, is this:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:When my first is a task to a young girl of spirit,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:And my second confines her to finish the piece,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:How hard is her fate! but how great is her merit

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:If by taking my whole she effects her release!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The answer is "hem-lock".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The acted charades gradually became far more popular under this name, particularly in the United States. Examples of the acted charades are described in William Thackeray's Vanity Fair and in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.

Related Topics:
United States - William Thackeray - Vanity Fair - Charlotte Brontë - Jane Eyre

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In France, nowadays, the charade is only a riddle like the one above ; it is not acted.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~