To the Rev. William Spooner, we are told, goes the dubious distinction of introducing and spawning spoonerisms —the amusing mix-up of words that exemplifies the adage, “There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip.” Basically, a spoonerism is a jumbled expression of one’s thoughts that sparks mirth. Unlike a pun where a conscious effort is made to use words imaginatively, a spoonerism is generated unwittingly.
Possibly spoonerisms arise due to one’s thoughts outpacing one’s speech or vice versa. Or perhaps the jumble could be the result of a spell of nervousness or lack of concentration. Whatever be the cause, the result is zany to say the least. Among the many spoonerisms attributed to Spooner are: “You have hissed the mystery lectures”, “It’s ‘kisstomary’ to cuss the bride” and “Someone is ‘occupewing’ my pie” (Someone is occupying my pew). As a preacher, he once observed that he was tired of addressing “beery wenches” (weary benches) and was planning to leave by the “town drain” (down train). Such inanities have been the bane of others too.
After a programme of Polish folk dances, an announcer came up with this gem: “You’ve been watching foolish poke dances.” At the conclusion of a classical concert, a promising young singer excitedly telephoned his parents, “I rang a saga solo!” And reporting on an erupting volcano, a press correspondent once observed, “A flood of molten lager gushed down the mountainside.” A flustered colleague who had bungled an important assignment and was sharply rebuked by his boss, blurted out to his sympathetic listeners, “My moss was bad at me!” My Scottish boss Norman Cole once asked me to inform the general manager that he was indisposed with a bad cold.
I promptly and smugly reported, “Sir, I’m afraid Mr Cold has got a bad Cole and is unable to attend work today!” His quizzical look made realise my slip-up. Describing an exciting, stunt-filled scene from a film, a movie- buff once gushed exuberantly, “The tight in the funnel is the best I’ve ever seen!” And during a cricket match, a schoolmate who fancied himself a commentator, once blurted out excitedly, “The fowler sends down a bull toss!” Once I pounced upon what seemed to be a glaring spoonerism: “There’s no present like the time!” However, closer scrutiny showed it to be an apt advertisement for the sale of clocks! It may take one some time to unravel the riddle that a spoonerism poses, but the effort usually yields a chuckle.