--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t they put aunts in Turkey in sacks…" description: "\"“Don’t they put aunts in Turkey in sacks and drop them in the Bosphorus?’ ‘Odalisques, sir, I understand. Not aunts.”\" — P.G. Wodehouse" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/p-g-wodehouse-723_aunts_don-t-they-put-aunts-in-turkey-in-sacks_401094.png" --- # Don’t they put aunts in Turkey in sacks and drop them in… ![“Don’t they put aunts in Turkey in sacks and drop them in the Bosphorus?’ ‘Odalisques, sir, I understand. Not aunts.” quote by P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/p-g-wodehouse-723_aunts_don-t-they-put-aunts-in-turkey-in-sacks_401094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/p-g-wodehouse-723_aunts_don-t-they-put-aunts-in-turkey-in-sacks_401094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/p-g-wodehouse-723_aunts_don-t-they-put-aunts-in-turkey-in-sacks_401094.png) > ““Don’t they put aunts in Turkey in sacks and drop them in the Bosphorus?’ ‘Odalisques, sir, I understand. Not aunts.”” [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A comedic misunderstanding arises from a play on words about “aunts” and “odalisques.” **In simple terms:** Wordplay leads to humor. Key Takeaway Appreciate linguistic nuance. Themes humor misunderstanding language Mood lighthearted playful Type satire observational When to use this quote - comedic writing - translation - teaching English Key Concepts pun cultural reference absurdity Questions to Reflect On - How does translation affect jokes? - What other puns cause confusion? A Different Perspective Humor may rely on cultural context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aunts/) ## Related quotes > [“Aunts Aren't Gentlemen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/aunts-aren-t-gentlemen/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [Quite honestly, if we do manage to destroy the planet with our devil-may-care attitude to natural resources, I'd suggest we leave, as a dossier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/quite-honestly-if-we-do-manage-to-destroy-the-planet-with-our-devil/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [Across the board, from my mother to my father to my aunts and uncles, everybody has always given me a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-lee/across-the-board-from-my-mother-to-my-father-to-my-aunts-and-uncles/) [Amos Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-lee/) > [Aunts offer kids an opportunity to try out ideas that don't chime with their parents and they also demonstrate that people can get on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/aunts-offer-kids-an-opportunity-to-try-out-ideas-that-don-t-chime/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Whenever I've not known what to do, I've always gone back to the Carter Family because there was nothing like singing with my aunts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlene-carter/whenever-i-ve-not-known-what-to-do-i-ve-always-gone-back-to-the/) [Carlene Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlene-carter/) > [“Aunts are to be a pattern and example to all aunts; to be a delight to boys (and girls) and a comfort to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-isay/aunts-are-to-be-a-pattern-and-example-to-all-aunts-to-be-a-delight-to/) [Dave Isay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-isay/) > [The best aunts aren't substitute parents, they're co-conspirators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/the-best-aunts-aren-t-substitute-parents-they-re-co-conspirators/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [We're good at taking care of little kids, and spend a lot of energy teaching them things like how to read. But when kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-re-good-at-taking-care-of-little-kids-and-spend-a-lot-of-energy/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [My parents had become adults during the Great Depression, as had many of my aunts and uncles, so I got stories from all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/my-parents-had-become-adults-during-the-great-depression-as-had-many/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [I grew up with a posh English accent, and all my aunts sounded as if they came out of a Merchant Ivory movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-grew-up-with-a-posh-english-accent-and-all-my-aunts-sounded-as-if/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I had aunts who played piano and sang and also were entertainers, so music was very much a part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-had-aunts-who-played-piano-and-sang-and-also-were-entertainers-so/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [ The disinterest \[of my two great-aunts\] in anything that had to do with high society was such that their sense of hearing ... put… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-disinterest-of-my-two-great-aunts-in-anything-that-had-to-do-with/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [I have always maintained the importance of Aunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-have-always-maintained-the-importance-of-aunts/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Amish children are usually named after aunts or uncles or some other relation. Keeps the family names going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-price/amish-children-are-usually-named-after-aunts-or-uncles-or-some-other/) [Sarah Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-price/) > [My only way of getting my uncles' attention or aunts' attention or whoever's attention was by dancing and singing around the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-g/my-only-way-of-getting-my-uncles-attention-or-aunts-attention-or/) [Becky G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-g/) ## More by P.G. Wodehouse > [“Love, Miss Halliday, is a delicate plant. It needs tending, nurturing, assiduous fostering. This cannot be done by throwing the breakfast bacon at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/love-miss-halliday-is-a-delicate-plant-it-needs-tending-nurturing/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [ “\[A\]lways get to the dialogue as soon as possible. I always feel the thing to go for is speed. Nothing puts the reader off… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/a-lways-get-to-the-dialogue-as-soon-as-possible-i-always-feel-the/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“In these days in which we live, when existence has become a thing of infinite complexity and fate, if it slips us a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/in-these-days-in-which-we-live-when-existence-has-become-a-thing-of/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Good Lord, Jeeves! Is there anything you don’t know?’ ‘I couldn’t say, sir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/good-lord-jeeves-is-there-anything-you-don-t-know-i-couldn-t-say-sir/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Ask the first lion cub you meet, and it will tell you that, once you’ve tasted blood, there is no pulling up, and it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/ask-the-first-lion-cub-you-meet-and-it-will-tell-you-that-once-you-ve/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“He will lunch with you at your flat tomorrow at one-thirty. Please remember that he drinks no wine, strongly disapproves of smoking, and can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/he-will-lunch-with-you-at-your-flat-tomorrow-at-one-thirty-please/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Too often on such occasions one feels, as I feel so strongly with regard to poor old Stilton, that the kindly thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/too-often-on-such-occasions-one-feels-as-i-feel-so-strongly-with/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“My late Uncle Henry, you see, was by way of being the blot on the Wooster escutcheon. An extremely decent chappie personally, and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/my-late-uncle-henry-you-see-was-by-way-of-being-the-blot-on-the/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [ “...he switched on the \[flashlight\]. When he did so, he instantly became the center attraction to a rowdy mob of those gnats, moths, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/he-switched-on-the-flashlight-when-he-did-so-he-instantly-became-the/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Conversationally, I am like a clockwork toy. I have to be set going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/conversationally-i-am-like-a-clockwork-toy-i-have-to-be-set-going/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“One of the advantages a sister has when arguing with a brother is that she is under no obligation to be tactful. If she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/one-of-the-advantages-a-sister-has-when-arguing-with-a-brother-is/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Liz," said Mr. Cootes, lost in admiration, "when it comes to doping out a scheme, you're the snake's eyebrows!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/liz-said-mr-cootes-lost-in-admiration-when-it-comes-to-doping-out-a/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“a chap who's supposed to stop chaps pinching things from chaps having a chap come along and pinch something from him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/a-chap-who-s-supposed-to-stop-chaps-pinching-things-from-chaps-having/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Bertie, do you read Tennyson?" "Not if I can help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/bertie-do-you-read-tennyson-not-if-i-can-help/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“It seems to be one of Nature’s laws that the most attractive girls should have the least attractive brothers. Fillmore Nicholas had not worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/it-seems-to-be-one-of-nature-s-laws-that-the-most-attractive-girls/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) [Explore all 389 P.G. Wodehouse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) ## More Aunts quotes > [My only way of getting my uncles' attention or aunts' attention or whoever's attention was by dancing and singing around the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-g/my-only-way-of-getting-my-uncles-attention-or-aunts-attention-or/) [Becky G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-g/) > [“Amish children are usually named after aunts or uncles or some other relation. Keeps the family names going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-price/amish-children-are-usually-named-after-aunts-or-uncles-or-some-other/) [Sarah Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-price/) > [I have always maintained the importance of Aunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-have-always-maintained-the-importance-of-aunts/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [ The disinterest \[of my two great-aunts\] in anything that had to do with high society was such that their sense of hearing ... put… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-disinterest-of-my-two-great-aunts-in-anything-that-had-to-do-with/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [I had aunts who played piano and sang and also were entertainers, so music was very much a part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-had-aunts-who-played-piano-and-sang-and-also-were-entertainers-so/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I grew up with a posh English accent, and all my aunts sounded as if they came out of a Merchant Ivory movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-grew-up-with-a-posh-english-accent-and-all-my-aunts-sounded-as-if/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [My parents had become adults during the Great Depression, as had many of my aunts and uncles, so I got stories from all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/my-parents-had-become-adults-during-the-great-depression-as-had-many/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [We're good at taking care of little kids, and spend a lot of energy teaching them things like how to read. But when kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-re-good-at-taking-care-of-little-kids-and-spend-a-lot-of-energy/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [The best aunts aren't substitute parents, they're co-conspirators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/the-best-aunts-aren-t-substitute-parents-they-re-co-conspirators/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Aunts are to be a pattern and example to all aunts; to be a delight to boys (and girls) and a comfort to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-isay/aunts-are-to-be-a-pattern-and-example-to-all-aunts-to-be-a-delight-to/) [Dave Isay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-isay/) > [Whenever I've not known what to do, I've always gone back to the Carter Family because there was nothing like singing with my aunts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlene-carter/whenever-i-ve-not-known-what-to-do-i-ve-always-gone-back-to-the/) [Carlene Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlene-carter/) > [Aunts offer kids an opportunity to try out ideas that don't chime with their parents and they also demonstrate that people can get on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/aunts-offer-kids-an-opportunity-to-try-out-ideas-that-don-t-chime/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Across the board, from my mother to my father to my aunts and uncles, everybody has always given me a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-lee/across-the-board-from-my-mother-to-my-father-to-my-aunts-and-uncles/) [Amos Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-lee/) > [Quite honestly, if we do manage to destroy the planet with our devil-may-care attitude to natural resources, I'd suggest we leave, as a dossier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/quite-honestly-if-we-do-manage-to-destroy-the-planet-with-our-devil/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [I've had aunts and uncles who not only haven't read my books but could hardly believe that I was a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cormier/i-ve-had-aunts-and-uncles-who-not-only-haven-t-read-my-books-but/) [Robert Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cormier/) [Browse all 93 Aunts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aunts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Don’t they put aunts in Turkey in sacks and drop them in the Bosphorus?’ ‘Odalisques, sir, I understand. 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