Tuesday, 22 July 2014

22nd July: Spoonerisms

Today is Reverend William Archibald Spooner's birthday. He was born in 1844. His tendency to get words mixed up gave us the word "Spoonerism" to describe a sentence where the words have been jumbled, often to comic effect. Most of the amusing gaffes Spooner allegedly came out with in his lifetime cannot be proved to have been said by him. Only two are properly documented: "The weight of rages will press hard upon the employer" (rate of wages) and "Kinkering Kongs Their Titles Take." (Conquering Kings Their Titles Take), a hymn title. Here are 10 of the non proven ones - can you work out what he was supposed to be saying?
  1. Is the bean dizzy?
  2. The Lord is a shoving leopard.
  3. Someone is occupewing my pie. Please sew me to another sheet.
  4. A half-warmed fish.
  5. A well-boiled icicle.
  6. A blushing crow.
  7. Three cheers for our queer old dean!
  8. Is it kisstomary to cuss the bride?
  9. A nosey little cook.
  10. You have hissed all my mystery lectures, and were caught fighting a liar in the quad. Having tasted two worms, you will leave by the next town drain.

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