英语词源
spoonerism
人们在言谈中,有时不免出现口误。将两个或两个以上的词的首音互换位置的现象,英语即以 spoonerism 谓之,如将 a crushing blow (沉重一击)误为 a blushing crow (一只脸红的乌鸦),将 tons of soil (大量的泥土)误为 sons of tod (劳动者), took a shower (洗沐沿)变成 shook a tower (使塔楼震动) ,brush my hat (刷我的帽子)变成 hush my brat (使我调皮的弦子安静下来)等。该词源出牛津新学院院长 W. A.Spooner (1844 – 1930)。
Spooner 既是个牧师,又是位学者,在学院中讲授哲学和神学等课程。他讲话一发急或激动,就会把两个或两个以上的首音互换位置,往往形成一种有趣的结合,产生某种戏剧性的效果。在一次他主持的婚礼上,他发现新郎因过于紧张而忘了同新娘亲吻,本来想提醒他说,“ Son, it is customuy to kiss the bride. ”(孩子,按习惯要吻一吻新娘。)但出口的竟然是“ Son, it is kisstomery to cuss the bride. ” kiss (吻)变成了 cuss (诅咒),真是令人啼笑皆非。
在一次上课时他训斥一个学生,本想说,“ You have missed myhistory lecture – you have wasted the whole term. ”(你没上我的历史课,浪费了整整一学期的时间。),脱口而出的则是“ You have hissed rny mystery lecture- you have tasted thewhole worm. ”(你对我故弄玄虚的演讲发出嘘声,吃掉了一整条虫子。)
还有一次,他把一个学生开除了,本欲对他说,“ You have deliberately wasted two whole terms, and now youcan leave Oxford on The down train. “(你白白浪费了整整两个学期,如今可以乘下行列车离开牛律了)说出口的却是,“ You have deliberately tasted two whole worms, and now youcan leave Oxford on the town drain. ”(你从从容容地吃了整整两条虫子,如今可以从城里的下水道离开牛津了)
此外, Spooner 还把 a half-formed wish (一个不太成熟的愿望)说成 a half-wa Ⅱ ned fish (一条半温的鱼),在提及女王时他竟然将 the dear old queen (亲爱的老女王)误说成 the queer old dean (怪癖的老教务长)。诸如此类的口误常把学生们逗笑。他们便将这种首音误置的口误戏称为 spoonecism 。尽管此类口误古已有之, Spooner 的姓氏却和它结下了不解之缘。
深度学习
spoonerism (SPOON er is im) This unusual-sounding noun refers to humorous transpositions of sounds such as saying “blushing crows” when you meant to say “crushing blows” or “queer dean” when you meant “dear queen.” We owe the term “spoonerism” to the Rev. William Spooner, an English clergyman who, supposedly, frequently committed such blunders.
- Lucy delights in all forms of word play, especially puns and spoonerisms.
- Laughter at spoonerisms is seldom long-lived, but the mayor is still being kidded for saying he knows “every crook and nanny in this town.”
——摘自《Fiske WordPower: The Most Effective System for Building a Vocabulary That Gets Results Fast》
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勺子主义(SPOON er is im)这个听起来不寻常的名词指的是对声音的幽默转换,比如当你想说“粉碎性打击”时说“脸红的乌鸦”,或者当你说“亲爱的女王”时说是“酷儿院长”。我们把“勺子主义”这个词归功于英国牧师威廉·斯普纳,据说他经常犯这样的错误。
- 露西喜欢各种形式的文字游戏,尤其是双关语和双关语
- 对痴情的嘲笑很少能持续很久,但市长仍然因为说他认识“这个镇上的每一个骗子和保姆”而受到嘲笑
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