SPOONERISM

SPOONERISM

Have you ever tried to say something but then it happened that the speaking ‘got accident’ ? It doesn’t come out as you expected.

It is called Spoonerism.

Well, still don’t get it?

Okay, here is an example :

“Mam., last night, I had a dad brim!” Do you know what the meaning is? I don’t! unless I had to think hardly that he got an ‘accident’.

Then I realized that he was trying to say,” Mam, I had a bad dream”!

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Where is the term “Spoonerism” after?

The Reverend Dr W A Spooner was a very important man in Oxford University but he used to have accidents in speaking. He often changed the beginning of two words like this :

# We all know the feeling when we have a half-warmed fish in our hearts.

( He meant to say a half-formed wish)

# Kinkering Kongs their titles take.

(the first line of a religious song, or hymn, is really Conquering kings their titles take.)

So Dr Spooner’s name forms part of the name we give to accidents of that kind: spoonerism.

Here are examples that the dictionaries give when they explain the word spoonerism.

· Let me sew you to a sheet (for: show you to a seat)

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English)

· You have hissed the mystery of lectures. (for : missed the history)

Concise Oxford Dictionary

· Start your journey with a well-boiled icicle. (for a well-oiled bicycle)

Oxford Advanced Learner’sDictionary

(Icicle : dripping water that has frozen to form a point of ice)

· This country owes much to its horny-handed tons of soil.

(for sons of toil)

Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary

Toil : hard work

· Our queer dean! (for dear Queen)

Encyclopedic World Dictionary

Queer : very unusual

Dean : important man in the church or a university.

Here are some spoonerisms for you to work out:

· He stopped at the gate, “High mause!” he said proudly.

· “ I’m sad to glee you”

· The trast lane goes at nidmight.”

· I’m going to fight the liar because it’s crowing gold.”