Parody and parity are two words that are very close in pronunciation and spelling, but have very different meanings. We will examine the definitions of parody and parity, where these terms came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
A parody is a creative work such as a book, movie or play that imitates a known writer or genre. A parody is written to ridicule or poke gentle fun at the original work for comic effect. A parody exaggerates the characteristics of the original work. Parody is also used to mean a pale imitation of an original work. Parody is used as a noun or a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are parodies, parodied, parodying. The word parody is derived from the Greek word paroidia which means burlesque poem.
Parity means being equal, achieving a state of things being equal. Parity is also a medical term which means having borne children or the number of children someone has borne. Parity is derived from the Latin word paritas which means equal.
Examples
The parody article features the headline ‘Taylor Swift Grateful Kanye West Controversy Taking Heat Off New Swastika Tattoo’, and is accompanied by a Photoshopped photo of the actress having a swastika tattoo on her face. (The Daily Mail)
Not everyone heading off to see Avengers: Infinity War is old enough to remember impossibly sunny, wonderfully cheesy, 60s/70s US sitcom The Brady Bunch – but it won’t stop them enjoying this parody of the opening credits starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans (yep, all the Chrises), Chadwick Boseman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson and Anthony Mackie. (Radio Times Magazine)
Amidst reports of American retail giant Walmart’s buying out Flipkart, Bharti Enterprises today sought policy parity with e-commerce in liberalising foreign ownership caps in multi-brand retail as well. (The Economic Times)Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan today pitched for a parity in salaries of sanitation staff and IAS officers, saying the government should do it if people engaged in cleaning works have to be given dignity. (The Financial Express)