The term Spoonerism comes from the Rev. William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930), a clergyman known for his lips of the slip …I mean slips of the lip, in which he would transpose or reverse the sounds of two or more words in a sentence.
The result is often humorous. Rev. Spooner probably only said a few notable Spoonerisms, but he was often given credit for saying more than he actually did.
Below is a list of Spoonerisms that he may or may not have said.
- A well-boiled icicle = A well-oiled bicycle
- Scoop of boy trouts = Troop of boy scouts
- A blushing crow = A crushing blow
- Here’s to the queer old dean = Here’s to the dear old Queen
- Fighting a liar = Lighting a fire
- Let me sew you to your sheet = Let me show you to your seat
Assignment
Create 5 Spoonerisms of your own and prepare to share them with the class.