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med_cat: (cat and books)
med_cat: (cat and books)

Friday word: Spoonerism

Oct. 5th, 2012 at 1:45 PM
med_cat: (cat and books)
Originally posted by [livejournal.com profile] med_cat at Friday word: Spoonerism
Spoonerism: a transposition of usually initial sounds of two or more words (as in tons of soil for sons of toil)

Etymology:
William A. Spooner †1930 English clergyman & educator
First Known Use: 1900

Examples:

He supposedly issued a stern reprimand to a misbehaving student: "You have hissed all my mystery lectures. You have tasted two worms. Pack up your rags and bugs, and leave immediately by the town drain!"

You can read two great articles about it, with lots of examples and much more detailed stories about Dr. Spooner: http://www.fun-with-words.com/spoon_history.html  and http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2010/who-was-dr-spooner-of-spoonerism-fame.

Do take a look, they are quite hilarious (and informative)!
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