Words and confusions...

[fajrdrako]

In conversation with maaseru I discovered yesterday that I couldn't remember exactly what was a spoonerism and what was a malapropism. This called for research. I was embarrassed. I remembered the origins of the words - Spooner was a clergyman at Oxford University, Mrs. Malaprop was a character in "The Rivals" by Sheridan. That was easy, but which wordplay was which?

We looked it up. A spoonerism is a transposition of sounds in two words in a sentence or phrase -

Some of the more famous quotations attributed to Spooner include "The Lord is a shoving leopard," "It is kisstomary to cuss the bride," and "Mardon me padam, this pie is occupewed. Can I sew you to another sheet?." (Pardon me, madam, this pew is occupied. Can I show you to another seat?).

A malapropism is a way of saying the wrong word in a way that sounds almost right, like

"I resemble that remark!" (i.e. resent) - Stooge Curly Howard, after being insulted by fellow Stooge Moe.

Huh. I've always enjoyed quoting that, but I thought that was Groucho Marx. I'm just confused all over the place these days.

I am amused to see that wikipedia quotes Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing for the use of malapropisms, and quite rightly, too.

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Maybe they both used it? (I too hear it in Grouch's voice.)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Maybe. I'll swear I heard Groucho say it in some movie or other, and it isn't possible I heard one of the Three Stooges say it, because I've never seen one of their movies. I'm a bit of a Marx Brothers fan.

I see numerous places online (via Google) that attribute it to Groucho. Perhaps wikipedia is just (gasp!) wrong?

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm a stooge fan bigtime, but I don't remember for certain Curley using it; on the other hand, I hear his voice doing it, I just hear Groucho stronger.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Until I find chapter and verse - i.e., the movies they said it in and the scene in which they said it - I'll assume they both said it, in their respective movies. No reason why they couldn't.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Yep--that makes sense.

[commodorified.livejournal.com]

"You have hissed my mystery lectures. You have tasted an entire worm. You will leave on the next town drain..."

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Love it! (And because of your icon, I'm picturing it in Sam's lovely voice.)

Ah, Spoonerisms

[lmondegreen.livejournal.com]

And "Here's to the queer old dean!"

Re: Ah, Spoonerisms

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Even better!