From user disposableaccountass: “Pavlov is sitting at a pub enjoying a pint, the phone rings and he jumps up shouting, ‘Oh shit, I forgot to feed the dog!’ ” Why it’s funny: It’s not.

Pavlov's Dog 4. Here's a zinger for when drunken bar ... 6. Any language theory joke that references Chomsky and/or deep structure without actually uttering the words is grammarian comedy gold ...

In the 1890s, Pavlov was experimenting with dogs, ringing a bell whenever they were fed. Over time, the dogs learned to associate a neutral stimulus (bell ringing) with a positive one (food).

Case in point: Almost all my life I’ve been baffled by the frequent mentions in ordinary conversation of Pavlov’s dog. Nobody, not even those who majored in psychology, ever knows the poor dog ...