What Is a Spoonerism? | Definition & Examples
A spoonerism is the transposition of the initial sounds of two or more words, like “belly jeans” instead of “jelly beans.” Spoonerisms occur mostly due to slip of the tongue but can also be intentional as a form of humor.
| Correct phrase | Spoonerism |
|---|---|
| take a shower | shake a tower |
| bad salad | sad ballad |
| pork chops | chork pops |
| grilled cheese | chilled grease |
Spoonerism definition
A spoonerism occurs when a person accidentally mixes up the sounds of two or more words while speaking. In general, consonants are more often switched than vowels, typically involving short phrases. For example, “master plan” becomes “plaster man” and “a pack of lies” becomes “a lack of pies.”
The term “spoonerism” is named after William A. Spooner, a 19th-century British professor and priest who was known for making such verbal errors. Spooner often mixed up the initial sounds of words in his speeches and lectures.
Phrases like “a blushing crow” instead of “a crushing blow” and “our shoving leopard” instead of “our loving shepherd” are often attributed to him. However, many of his quotes were probably made up by his colleagues and students for fun.
Spoonerism causes
People mix up parts of words or phrases due to momentary confusion in the part of the brain that formulates speech. This can happen for several reasons, including:
- Stress. When we are nervous, we are more likely to mix up words and phrases. Stress can interfere with our cognitive processes, making it difficult to articulate thoughts clearly and leading to speech errors like spoonerisms.
- Distraction. People often commit spoonerisms when their attention is divided or they try to multitask. For example, we might be talking about something but thinking of something entirely different.
- Speed of speech. Speaking too quickly increases the likelihood of spoonerisms. In such instances, we may utter a phrase before deciding what it is actually that we want to say, resulting in verbal blunders.
However, sometimes spoonerisms can be deliberate as a form of play on words.
Spoonerism examples
The phrases below are considered examples of “original” spoonerisms, as they have been attributed to William A. Spooner himself.
| Correct phrase | Spoonerism |
|---|---|
| a well-oiled bicycle | a well-boiled icicle |
| lighting a fire | fighting a liar |
| you’ve wasted two terms | you’ve tasted two worms |
| our dear old Queen | our queer old Dean |
| a half-formed wish | a half-warmed fish |
| sons of toil | tons of soil |
| you missed my history lecture | you hissed my mystery lecture |
| cozy little nook | nosy little cook |
Shel Silverstein’s Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook is a children’s book that uses spoonerisms as a literary device, encouraging readers to think about language and sound in a playful way.
Here are a few examples of characters’ names from Runny Babbit:
- Runny Babbit (Bunny Rabbit)
- Toe Jurtle (Joe Turtle)
- Skertie Gunk (Gertie Skunk)
- Goctor Doose (Doctor Goose)
Related terms
Spoonerism is similar to other linguistic phenomena, such as:
- Malapropism. Occurs when we replace a word with a similar-sounding one, resulting in a humorous or nonsensical word that does not logically fit the context of the sentence. For example, “He is the pineapple of politeness” instead of “He is the pinnacle of politeness.”
- Mondegreen. A word or phrase that results from mishearing another word or phrase, especially in a song lyric or poem. For example, in “Suspicious Minds,” Elvis sings “We’re caught in a trap,” not “Recording a track.”
- Eggcorn. A word or phrase that sounds like another word or phrase and is mistakenly used in its place. This often happens with antiquated set phrases that people are no longer familiar with, such as “for all intensive purposes” instead of the fixed phrase “for all intents and purposes.”
- Freudian slip. It is a slip of the tongue that reveals our hidden thoughts or desires, such as saying “I’m mad you’re here” instead of “I’m glad you’re here.”
Frequently asked questions about spoonerisms
- What is the difference between a malapropism and a spoonerism?
-
Malapropisms and spoonerisms are both forms of language errors, but they should not be confused.
A malapropism is a verbal mistake that involves similar-sounding words with different meanings, like “monogamous” and “monotonous.”
A spoonerism, on the other hand, accidentally mixes up the sounds of letters or syllables of different words (e.g., “chork pops” instead of “pork chops”).
In short, malapropisms involve the unintentional distortion of words with similar sounds, while spoonerisms involve the swapping of sounds or letters between words.
