Definition:
A transposition of sounds of two or more words. See also: slip of the tongue.
Etymology:
Named after William Archibald Spooner (1844–1930), who had a reputation for making these slips of the tongue.Examples and Observations:
- "Rev. Dr. William Archibald Spooner, onetime warden of New College, Oxford, celebrated last fortnight his golden wedding anniversary. He has long been aware that he is the cause of the appearance of the word 'spoonerism' in the Oxford English Dictionary. A spoonerism is the transposition of two sounds, or of the first letters of two words, in a simple sentence. In 1879, Dr. Spooner announced a hymn as 'The Kinquering Congs Their Titles Take.' Since then, he has been labeled the author of countless spoonerisms. But, on his golden wedding celebration, he stoutly maintained that 'Kinquering Congs' was his one and only spoonerism, that it was a slip of his tongue.
"Other famed spoonerisms:- It is kistomary to cuss the bride.
- Give three cheers for our queer old dean.
- Have you, my brethren, ever nurtured in your bosom a half-warmed fish?"
- "Spooner . . . once said to a stranger who was occupying his personal pew in the college chapel: 'Excuse me, but I think you are occupewing my pie.' He began a speech to an audience of farmers: 'I have never before addressed so may tons of soil.'"
(Peter Farb, Word Play: What Happens When People Talk, Alfred A. Knopf, 1974) - "Spoonerisms all work the same way: the reversed sounds come from the beginnings of the words, rarely at the ends, and very often from the syllable that carries the stress."
(Michael Erard, Um . . ., 2007) - "Ronald Derds (or was it Donald Rerds)?
Was a boy who always wixed up his merds.
If anyone asked him,. 'What's the time?'
He'd look at his watch, and say, 'Norter past quine.'"
(Rod Hull, "Ronald/Donald")
Pronunciation: SPOON-er-izm
Also Known As: slip of the tongue, exchange, metaphasis, marrowsky
