Word play

Spoonerisms

by S.E. Schlosser

Ever get your words mixed up?  Called “pea soup” “sea poup” or a "butterfly" a "flutterby"?  You’re not alone.  Verbal mix-ups of this kind are officially called metaphasis – literally the translations of sounds. 

 

Another common name applied to word slips is spoonerism, based upon the antics of the Oxford Dean and Warden of New College William Archibald Spooner, a nervous, highly-educated man who was known for his many slips of the tongue.  Some of his most famous spoonerisms include:  

 

  • Is the bean dizzy?  (True meaning: Is the Dean busy?)
  • Kingquering Kongs (True meaning: Conquering Kings)
  • The Lord is a shoving leopard (True meaning: The Lord is a loving shepherd)
  • Please sew me to another sheet (True meaning: Please show me to another seat)

 

Have you ever had a slip of the tongue?  What new spoonerisms have you created? 

 

Posted by schlsa on May 7, 2009 06:32 AM |

Comments

i that word game

Posted by: tanisha | October 2, 2009 09:04 AM

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