Word for when we accidentally invert the syllabic utterances of words?
Today, during a conversation, one of my friends accidentally inverted the syllables of the word "bookmarks" as "markbooks." Then I immediately thought about describing such a mistake in speaking.
I asked my elder brother, who suggested I regard it as stuttering. But sadly, this word doesn't fit well for what I am asking over here, since stuttering denotes the repetition of sounds pertaining to just initial consonants:
verb
1. talk with continued involuntary repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants.
See the following image about stuttering:
In the image above, there's talk of the word "soda", which is written as s-s-s-s-soda to express stuttering.
There might be a word describing the inversion of syllabic utterance of words.
"He said 'markbooks' rather than saying 'bookmarks' because of _____ [in place of the word 'stuttering']"
The word I am asking for here can be a verb (an act of doing what I described here), or noun or noun-phrase to describe such an accidental act.
My question is different from "Is there a term for switching syllables of words?". In that post, the OP's primary question is about the exchange of two different syllables belonging to two different words; as his first example tells "trace" and "race", which are different and both having their own distinct syllables. Whereas my question is about the exchange of syllables within the same word and without dropping any letter(s) of words e.g.:
bookmarks > markbooks
clockwise > wiseclock
Textbook > booktext
single-word-requests phrase-requests verbs
|
show 1 more comment
Today, during a conversation, one of my friends accidentally inverted the syllables of the word "bookmarks" as "markbooks." Then I immediately thought about describing such a mistake in speaking.
I asked my elder brother, who suggested I regard it as stuttering. But sadly, this word doesn't fit well for what I am asking over here, since stuttering denotes the repetition of sounds pertaining to just initial consonants:
verb
1. talk with continued involuntary repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants.
See the following image about stuttering:
In the image above, there's talk of the word "soda", which is written as s-s-s-s-soda to express stuttering.
There might be a word describing the inversion of syllabic utterance of words.
"He said 'markbooks' rather than saying 'bookmarks' because of _____ [in place of the word 'stuttering']"
The word I am asking for here can be a verb (an act of doing what I described here), or noun or noun-phrase to describe such an accidental act.
My question is different from "Is there a term for switching syllables of words?". In that post, the OP's primary question is about the exchange of two different syllables belonging to two different words; as his first example tells "trace" and "race", which are different and both having their own distinct syllables. Whereas my question is about the exchange of syllables within the same word and without dropping any letter(s) of words e.g.:
bookmarks > markbooks
clockwise > wiseclock
Textbook > booktext
single-word-requests phrase-requests verbs
4
Related (but French): Verlan.
– Glorfindel
2 days ago
@Glorfindel, the Wikipedia states differently about what I am asking here. As the website says "verlan often drops the final vowel sound after the word is inverted, so femme and flic become meuf and keuf, respectively." // but here my question is not about dropping of any consonants or vowels.
– Ahmed
2 days ago
1
Possible duplicate of Is there a term for switching syllables of words?
– BruceWayne
2 days ago
1
@Ahmed I see that you amended your question with clarification about what kind of switch you're asking. There's no special word to distinguish your very specific situation from the other very specific situations. Hyperbaton is for word order swaps, spoonerism is for initial sounds of words, metathesis is for any kind of otherwise unspecified swap (but usually for phonemes).
– Mitch
2 days ago
Inverted order; it seems more natural to some deaf people in certain cases (it's natural, not French). Sometimes hearing people do it too.
– KannE
yesterday
|
show 1 more comment
Today, during a conversation, one of my friends accidentally inverted the syllables of the word "bookmarks" as "markbooks." Then I immediately thought about describing such a mistake in speaking.
I asked my elder brother, who suggested I regard it as stuttering. But sadly, this word doesn't fit well for what I am asking over here, since stuttering denotes the repetition of sounds pertaining to just initial consonants:
verb
1. talk with continued involuntary repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants.
See the following image about stuttering:
In the image above, there's talk of the word "soda", which is written as s-s-s-s-soda to express stuttering.
There might be a word describing the inversion of syllabic utterance of words.
"He said 'markbooks' rather than saying 'bookmarks' because of _____ [in place of the word 'stuttering']"
The word I am asking for here can be a verb (an act of doing what I described here), or noun or noun-phrase to describe such an accidental act.
My question is different from "Is there a term for switching syllables of words?". In that post, the OP's primary question is about the exchange of two different syllables belonging to two different words; as his first example tells "trace" and "race", which are different and both having their own distinct syllables. Whereas my question is about the exchange of syllables within the same word and without dropping any letter(s) of words e.g.:
bookmarks > markbooks
clockwise > wiseclock
Textbook > booktext
single-word-requests phrase-requests verbs
Today, during a conversation, one of my friends accidentally inverted the syllables of the word "bookmarks" as "markbooks." Then I immediately thought about describing such a mistake in speaking.
I asked my elder brother, who suggested I regard it as stuttering. But sadly, this word doesn't fit well for what I am asking over here, since stuttering denotes the repetition of sounds pertaining to just initial consonants:
verb
1. talk with continued involuntary repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants.
See the following image about stuttering:
In the image above, there's talk of the word "soda", which is written as s-s-s-s-soda to express stuttering.
There might be a word describing the inversion of syllabic utterance of words.
"He said 'markbooks' rather than saying 'bookmarks' because of _____ [in place of the word 'stuttering']"
The word I am asking for here can be a verb (an act of doing what I described here), or noun or noun-phrase to describe such an accidental act.
My question is different from "Is there a term for switching syllables of words?". In that post, the OP's primary question is about the exchange of two different syllables belonging to two different words; as his first example tells "trace" and "race", which are different and both having their own distinct syllables. Whereas my question is about the exchange of syllables within the same word and without dropping any letter(s) of words e.g.:
bookmarks > markbooks
clockwise > wiseclock
Textbook > booktext
single-word-requests phrase-requests verbs
single-word-requests phrase-requests verbs
edited 2 days ago
psmears
13k14558
13k14558
asked 2 days ago
AhmedAhmed
3,63311952
3,63311952
4
Related (but French): Verlan.
– Glorfindel
2 days ago
@Glorfindel, the Wikipedia states differently about what I am asking here. As the website says "verlan often drops the final vowel sound after the word is inverted, so femme and flic become meuf and keuf, respectively." // but here my question is not about dropping of any consonants or vowels.
– Ahmed
2 days ago
1
Possible duplicate of Is there a term for switching syllables of words?
– BruceWayne
2 days ago
1
@Ahmed I see that you amended your question with clarification about what kind of switch you're asking. There's no special word to distinguish your very specific situation from the other very specific situations. Hyperbaton is for word order swaps, spoonerism is for initial sounds of words, metathesis is for any kind of otherwise unspecified swap (but usually for phonemes).
– Mitch
2 days ago
Inverted order; it seems more natural to some deaf people in certain cases (it's natural, not French). Sometimes hearing people do it too.
– KannE
yesterday
|
show 1 more comment
4
Related (but French): Verlan.
– Glorfindel
2 days ago
@Glorfindel, the Wikipedia states differently about what I am asking here. As the website says "verlan often drops the final vowel sound after the word is inverted, so femme and flic become meuf and keuf, respectively." // but here my question is not about dropping of any consonants or vowels.
– Ahmed
2 days ago
1
Possible duplicate of Is there a term for switching syllables of words?
– BruceWayne
2 days ago
1
@Ahmed I see that you amended your question with clarification about what kind of switch you're asking. There's no special word to distinguish your very specific situation from the other very specific situations. Hyperbaton is for word order swaps, spoonerism is for initial sounds of words, metathesis is for any kind of otherwise unspecified swap (but usually for phonemes).
– Mitch
2 days ago
Inverted order; it seems more natural to some deaf people in certain cases (it's natural, not French). Sometimes hearing people do it too.
– KannE
yesterday
4
4
Related (but French): Verlan.
– Glorfindel
2 days ago
Related (but French): Verlan.
– Glorfindel
2 days ago
@Glorfindel, the Wikipedia states differently about what I am asking here. As the website says "verlan often drops the final vowel sound after the word is inverted, so femme and flic become meuf and keuf, respectively." // but here my question is not about dropping of any consonants or vowels.
– Ahmed
2 days ago
@Glorfindel, the Wikipedia states differently about what I am asking here. As the website says "verlan often drops the final vowel sound after the word is inverted, so femme and flic become meuf and keuf, respectively." // but here my question is not about dropping of any consonants or vowels.
– Ahmed
2 days ago
1
1
Possible duplicate of Is there a term for switching syllables of words?
– BruceWayne
2 days ago
Possible duplicate of Is there a term for switching syllables of words?
– BruceWayne
2 days ago
1
1
@Ahmed I see that you amended your question with clarification about what kind of switch you're asking. There's no special word to distinguish your very specific situation from the other very specific situations. Hyperbaton is for word order swaps, spoonerism is for initial sounds of words, metathesis is for any kind of otherwise unspecified swap (but usually for phonemes).
– Mitch
2 days ago
@Ahmed I see that you amended your question with clarification about what kind of switch you're asking. There's no special word to distinguish your very specific situation from the other very specific situations. Hyperbaton is for word order swaps, spoonerism is for initial sounds of words, metathesis is for any kind of otherwise unspecified swap (but usually for phonemes).
– Mitch
2 days ago
Inverted order; it seems more natural to some deaf people in certain cases (it's natural, not French). Sometimes hearing people do it too.
– KannE
yesterday
Inverted order; it seems more natural to some deaf people in certain cases (it's natural, not French). Sometimes hearing people do it too.
– KannE
yesterday
|
show 1 more comment
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
Any kind of switch in order, whether sounds, syllables, or words, is called:
metathesis
(/mɪˈtæθɪsɪs/ with accent on the second syllable).
Examples are:
- common pronunciation of 'comfortable' as 'comfterble' /ˈkʌmftərbəl/
- 'peckerwood' for 'woodpecker'
A spoonerism is a kind of metathesis. For example, "A well-boiled icicle" ("well-oiled bicycle").
In rhetoric, changing out of the usual word order is also called
hyperbaton
(having numerous rhetorical synonyms like anastrophe or synchysis).
Of course 'metathesis' (not to be confused with 'metastasis' a spread of cancer to a secondary site), is a bit technical sounding. A more natural sounding alternative might simply be
switch
or
transposition
or as you mentioned
inversion.
These are all mostly intentional (except for a Spoonerism). If what is happening is an actual mistake, then it might additionally be called euphemistically a
solecism.
11
I don't know if it matters, but a 'peckerwood' and a 'woodpecker' are not the same thing.
– Robusto
2 days ago
@Robusto yes, though etymonline euphemistically considers them synonymous.
– Mitch
2 days ago
2
Reminds me of the comedian shtick of Rindercella and her gairy fodmother.
– hatchet
yesterday
add a comment |
The most common term I've heard for this is a "Spoonerism". It's a reference to William Archibald Spooner who was known for making these kinds of utterances unintentionally.
9
The definition of a Spoonerism isn't ironclad, but I've typically seen it as transposing only the initial sounds of words, rather than swapping the order of compound words. A Spoonerism of "bookmark" would be "mookbark", not "markbook".
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
1
@NuclearWang - Sorry, but no. One of Spooner's best-known malaprops is, "Pardon me, Sir, but I think you are occupewing my pie."
– WhatRoughBeast
yesterday
Spooner may or may not have spoken that way intentionally but most Spoonerisms I have heard and most of those I spoken myself have been deliberate.
– BoldBen
yesterday
1
@WhatRoughBeast I'd argue that most Spoonerisms are made by transposing the initial sounds of two words, but you are correct that it's not the only way to make one. I'd still be hard-pressed to call "markbook" a Spoonerism, though, as it effectively reorders entire words, rather than rearranging phonemes to make new words.
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
add a comment |
There used to be a common expression, "backasswards" - a metathesis of ass-backwards - that could be used to describe this situation:
"You said that word backasswards, you know."
It also has other useful applications, although you don't hear it as much anymore. US.
1
Do you have any sources for this expression?
– tox123
yesterday
2
I've always heard it as "bass-ackwards".
– SliceThePi
yesterday
@SliceThePi : me, too, but it usually just means 'completely wrong'. Like if someone claims why something has occurred and attributes cause incorrectly. (especially when they're assigning blame to the incorrect party)
– Joe
yesterday
1
Much as I like this idea of backassward (and I very much do), Merriam-Webster defines backassward as utterly or ridiculously backward, foolish, or wrong or as equivalent to ass-backward.
– tmgr
yesterday
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Any kind of switch in order, whether sounds, syllables, or words, is called:
metathesis
(/mɪˈtæθɪsɪs/ with accent on the second syllable).
Examples are:
- common pronunciation of 'comfortable' as 'comfterble' /ˈkʌmftərbəl/
- 'peckerwood' for 'woodpecker'
A spoonerism is a kind of metathesis. For example, "A well-boiled icicle" ("well-oiled bicycle").
In rhetoric, changing out of the usual word order is also called
hyperbaton
(having numerous rhetorical synonyms like anastrophe or synchysis).
Of course 'metathesis' (not to be confused with 'metastasis' a spread of cancer to a secondary site), is a bit technical sounding. A more natural sounding alternative might simply be
switch
or
transposition
or as you mentioned
inversion.
These are all mostly intentional (except for a Spoonerism). If what is happening is an actual mistake, then it might additionally be called euphemistically a
solecism.
11
I don't know if it matters, but a 'peckerwood' and a 'woodpecker' are not the same thing.
– Robusto
2 days ago
@Robusto yes, though etymonline euphemistically considers them synonymous.
– Mitch
2 days ago
2
Reminds me of the comedian shtick of Rindercella and her gairy fodmother.
– hatchet
yesterday
add a comment |
Any kind of switch in order, whether sounds, syllables, or words, is called:
metathesis
(/mɪˈtæθɪsɪs/ with accent on the second syllable).
Examples are:
- common pronunciation of 'comfortable' as 'comfterble' /ˈkʌmftərbəl/
- 'peckerwood' for 'woodpecker'
A spoonerism is a kind of metathesis. For example, "A well-boiled icicle" ("well-oiled bicycle").
In rhetoric, changing out of the usual word order is also called
hyperbaton
(having numerous rhetorical synonyms like anastrophe or synchysis).
Of course 'metathesis' (not to be confused with 'metastasis' a spread of cancer to a secondary site), is a bit technical sounding. A more natural sounding alternative might simply be
switch
or
transposition
or as you mentioned
inversion.
These are all mostly intentional (except for a Spoonerism). If what is happening is an actual mistake, then it might additionally be called euphemistically a
solecism.
11
I don't know if it matters, but a 'peckerwood' and a 'woodpecker' are not the same thing.
– Robusto
2 days ago
@Robusto yes, though etymonline euphemistically considers them synonymous.
– Mitch
2 days ago
2
Reminds me of the comedian shtick of Rindercella and her gairy fodmother.
– hatchet
yesterday
add a comment |
Any kind of switch in order, whether sounds, syllables, or words, is called:
metathesis
(/mɪˈtæθɪsɪs/ with accent on the second syllable).
Examples are:
- common pronunciation of 'comfortable' as 'comfterble' /ˈkʌmftərbəl/
- 'peckerwood' for 'woodpecker'
A spoonerism is a kind of metathesis. For example, "A well-boiled icicle" ("well-oiled bicycle").
In rhetoric, changing out of the usual word order is also called
hyperbaton
(having numerous rhetorical synonyms like anastrophe or synchysis).
Of course 'metathesis' (not to be confused with 'metastasis' a spread of cancer to a secondary site), is a bit technical sounding. A more natural sounding alternative might simply be
switch
or
transposition
or as you mentioned
inversion.
These are all mostly intentional (except for a Spoonerism). If what is happening is an actual mistake, then it might additionally be called euphemistically a
solecism.
Any kind of switch in order, whether sounds, syllables, or words, is called:
metathesis
(/mɪˈtæθɪsɪs/ with accent on the second syllable).
Examples are:
- common pronunciation of 'comfortable' as 'comfterble' /ˈkʌmftərbəl/
- 'peckerwood' for 'woodpecker'
A spoonerism is a kind of metathesis. For example, "A well-boiled icicle" ("well-oiled bicycle").
In rhetoric, changing out of the usual word order is also called
hyperbaton
(having numerous rhetorical synonyms like anastrophe or synchysis).
Of course 'metathesis' (not to be confused with 'metastasis' a spread of cancer to a secondary site), is a bit technical sounding. A more natural sounding alternative might simply be
switch
or
transposition
or as you mentioned
inversion.
These are all mostly intentional (except for a Spoonerism). If what is happening is an actual mistake, then it might additionally be called euphemistically a
solecism.
edited 2 days ago
user662852
2,596619
2,596619
answered 2 days ago
MitchMitch
50.7k15103212
50.7k15103212
11
I don't know if it matters, but a 'peckerwood' and a 'woodpecker' are not the same thing.
– Robusto
2 days ago
@Robusto yes, though etymonline euphemistically considers them synonymous.
– Mitch
2 days ago
2
Reminds me of the comedian shtick of Rindercella and her gairy fodmother.
– hatchet
yesterday
add a comment |
11
I don't know if it matters, but a 'peckerwood' and a 'woodpecker' are not the same thing.
– Robusto
2 days ago
@Robusto yes, though etymonline euphemistically considers them synonymous.
– Mitch
2 days ago
2
Reminds me of the comedian shtick of Rindercella and her gairy fodmother.
– hatchet
yesterday
11
11
I don't know if it matters, but a 'peckerwood' and a 'woodpecker' are not the same thing.
– Robusto
2 days ago
I don't know if it matters, but a 'peckerwood' and a 'woodpecker' are not the same thing.
– Robusto
2 days ago
@Robusto yes, though etymonline euphemistically considers them synonymous.
– Mitch
2 days ago
@Robusto yes, though etymonline euphemistically considers them synonymous.
– Mitch
2 days ago
2
2
Reminds me of the comedian shtick of Rindercella and her gairy fodmother.
– hatchet
yesterday
Reminds me of the comedian shtick of Rindercella and her gairy fodmother.
– hatchet
yesterday
add a comment |
The most common term I've heard for this is a "Spoonerism". It's a reference to William Archibald Spooner who was known for making these kinds of utterances unintentionally.
9
The definition of a Spoonerism isn't ironclad, but I've typically seen it as transposing only the initial sounds of words, rather than swapping the order of compound words. A Spoonerism of "bookmark" would be "mookbark", not "markbook".
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
1
@NuclearWang - Sorry, but no. One of Spooner's best-known malaprops is, "Pardon me, Sir, but I think you are occupewing my pie."
– WhatRoughBeast
yesterday
Spooner may or may not have spoken that way intentionally but most Spoonerisms I have heard and most of those I spoken myself have been deliberate.
– BoldBen
yesterday
1
@WhatRoughBeast I'd argue that most Spoonerisms are made by transposing the initial sounds of two words, but you are correct that it's not the only way to make one. I'd still be hard-pressed to call "markbook" a Spoonerism, though, as it effectively reorders entire words, rather than rearranging phonemes to make new words.
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
add a comment |
The most common term I've heard for this is a "Spoonerism". It's a reference to William Archibald Spooner who was known for making these kinds of utterances unintentionally.
9
The definition of a Spoonerism isn't ironclad, but I've typically seen it as transposing only the initial sounds of words, rather than swapping the order of compound words. A Spoonerism of "bookmark" would be "mookbark", not "markbook".
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
1
@NuclearWang - Sorry, but no. One of Spooner's best-known malaprops is, "Pardon me, Sir, but I think you are occupewing my pie."
– WhatRoughBeast
yesterday
Spooner may or may not have spoken that way intentionally but most Spoonerisms I have heard and most of those I spoken myself have been deliberate.
– BoldBen
yesterday
1
@WhatRoughBeast I'd argue that most Spoonerisms are made by transposing the initial sounds of two words, but you are correct that it's not the only way to make one. I'd still be hard-pressed to call "markbook" a Spoonerism, though, as it effectively reorders entire words, rather than rearranging phonemes to make new words.
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
add a comment |
The most common term I've heard for this is a "Spoonerism". It's a reference to William Archibald Spooner who was known for making these kinds of utterances unintentionally.
The most common term I've heard for this is a "Spoonerism". It's a reference to William Archibald Spooner who was known for making these kinds of utterances unintentionally.
answered 2 days ago
CodeMonkeyCodeMonkey
4014
4014
9
The definition of a Spoonerism isn't ironclad, but I've typically seen it as transposing only the initial sounds of words, rather than swapping the order of compound words. A Spoonerism of "bookmark" would be "mookbark", not "markbook".
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
1
@NuclearWang - Sorry, but no. One of Spooner's best-known malaprops is, "Pardon me, Sir, but I think you are occupewing my pie."
– WhatRoughBeast
yesterday
Spooner may or may not have spoken that way intentionally but most Spoonerisms I have heard and most of those I spoken myself have been deliberate.
– BoldBen
yesterday
1
@WhatRoughBeast I'd argue that most Spoonerisms are made by transposing the initial sounds of two words, but you are correct that it's not the only way to make one. I'd still be hard-pressed to call "markbook" a Spoonerism, though, as it effectively reorders entire words, rather than rearranging phonemes to make new words.
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
add a comment |
9
The definition of a Spoonerism isn't ironclad, but I've typically seen it as transposing only the initial sounds of words, rather than swapping the order of compound words. A Spoonerism of "bookmark" would be "mookbark", not "markbook".
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
1
@NuclearWang - Sorry, but no. One of Spooner's best-known malaprops is, "Pardon me, Sir, but I think you are occupewing my pie."
– WhatRoughBeast
yesterday
Spooner may or may not have spoken that way intentionally but most Spoonerisms I have heard and most of those I spoken myself have been deliberate.
– BoldBen
yesterday
1
@WhatRoughBeast I'd argue that most Spoonerisms are made by transposing the initial sounds of two words, but you are correct that it's not the only way to make one. I'd still be hard-pressed to call "markbook" a Spoonerism, though, as it effectively reorders entire words, rather than rearranging phonemes to make new words.
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
9
9
The definition of a Spoonerism isn't ironclad, but I've typically seen it as transposing only the initial sounds of words, rather than swapping the order of compound words. A Spoonerism of "bookmark" would be "mookbark", not "markbook".
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
The definition of a Spoonerism isn't ironclad, but I've typically seen it as transposing only the initial sounds of words, rather than swapping the order of compound words. A Spoonerism of "bookmark" would be "mookbark", not "markbook".
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
1
1
@NuclearWang - Sorry, but no. One of Spooner's best-known malaprops is, "Pardon me, Sir, but I think you are occupewing my pie."
– WhatRoughBeast
yesterday
@NuclearWang - Sorry, but no. One of Spooner's best-known malaprops is, "Pardon me, Sir, but I think you are occupewing my pie."
– WhatRoughBeast
yesterday
Spooner may or may not have spoken that way intentionally but most Spoonerisms I have heard and most of those I spoken myself have been deliberate.
– BoldBen
yesterday
Spooner may or may not have spoken that way intentionally but most Spoonerisms I have heard and most of those I spoken myself have been deliberate.
– BoldBen
yesterday
1
1
@WhatRoughBeast I'd argue that most Spoonerisms are made by transposing the initial sounds of two words, but you are correct that it's not the only way to make one. I'd still be hard-pressed to call "markbook" a Spoonerism, though, as it effectively reorders entire words, rather than rearranging phonemes to make new words.
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
@WhatRoughBeast I'd argue that most Spoonerisms are made by transposing the initial sounds of two words, but you are correct that it's not the only way to make one. I'd still be hard-pressed to call "markbook" a Spoonerism, though, as it effectively reorders entire words, rather than rearranging phonemes to make new words.
– Nuclear Wang
yesterday
add a comment |
There used to be a common expression, "backasswards" - a metathesis of ass-backwards - that could be used to describe this situation:
"You said that word backasswards, you know."
It also has other useful applications, although you don't hear it as much anymore. US.
1
Do you have any sources for this expression?
– tox123
yesterday
2
I've always heard it as "bass-ackwards".
– SliceThePi
yesterday
@SliceThePi : me, too, but it usually just means 'completely wrong'. Like if someone claims why something has occurred and attributes cause incorrectly. (especially when they're assigning blame to the incorrect party)
– Joe
yesterday
1
Much as I like this idea of backassward (and I very much do), Merriam-Webster defines backassward as utterly or ridiculously backward, foolish, or wrong or as equivalent to ass-backward.
– tmgr
yesterday
add a comment |
There used to be a common expression, "backasswards" - a metathesis of ass-backwards - that could be used to describe this situation:
"You said that word backasswards, you know."
It also has other useful applications, although you don't hear it as much anymore. US.
1
Do you have any sources for this expression?
– tox123
yesterday
2
I've always heard it as "bass-ackwards".
– SliceThePi
yesterday
@SliceThePi : me, too, but it usually just means 'completely wrong'. Like if someone claims why something has occurred and attributes cause incorrectly. (especially when they're assigning blame to the incorrect party)
– Joe
yesterday
1
Much as I like this idea of backassward (and I very much do), Merriam-Webster defines backassward as utterly or ridiculously backward, foolish, or wrong or as equivalent to ass-backward.
– tmgr
yesterday
add a comment |
There used to be a common expression, "backasswards" - a metathesis of ass-backwards - that could be used to describe this situation:
"You said that word backasswards, you know."
It also has other useful applications, although you don't hear it as much anymore. US.
There used to be a common expression, "backasswards" - a metathesis of ass-backwards - that could be used to describe this situation:
"You said that word backasswards, you know."
It also has other useful applications, although you don't hear it as much anymore. US.
answered yesterday
OldbagOldbag
12.1k1437
12.1k1437
1
Do you have any sources for this expression?
– tox123
yesterday
2
I've always heard it as "bass-ackwards".
– SliceThePi
yesterday
@SliceThePi : me, too, but it usually just means 'completely wrong'. Like if someone claims why something has occurred and attributes cause incorrectly. (especially when they're assigning blame to the incorrect party)
– Joe
yesterday
1
Much as I like this idea of backassward (and I very much do), Merriam-Webster defines backassward as utterly or ridiculously backward, foolish, or wrong or as equivalent to ass-backward.
– tmgr
yesterday
add a comment |
1
Do you have any sources for this expression?
– tox123
yesterday
2
I've always heard it as "bass-ackwards".
– SliceThePi
yesterday
@SliceThePi : me, too, but it usually just means 'completely wrong'. Like if someone claims why something has occurred and attributes cause incorrectly. (especially when they're assigning blame to the incorrect party)
– Joe
yesterday
1
Much as I like this idea of backassward (and I very much do), Merriam-Webster defines backassward as utterly or ridiculously backward, foolish, or wrong or as equivalent to ass-backward.
– tmgr
yesterday
1
1
Do you have any sources for this expression?
– tox123
yesterday
Do you have any sources for this expression?
– tox123
yesterday
2
2
I've always heard it as "bass-ackwards".
– SliceThePi
yesterday
I've always heard it as "bass-ackwards".
– SliceThePi
yesterday
@SliceThePi : me, too, but it usually just means 'completely wrong'. Like if someone claims why something has occurred and attributes cause incorrectly. (especially when they're assigning blame to the incorrect party)
– Joe
yesterday
@SliceThePi : me, too, but it usually just means 'completely wrong'. Like if someone claims why something has occurred and attributes cause incorrectly. (especially when they're assigning blame to the incorrect party)
– Joe
yesterday
1
1
Much as I like this idea of backassward (and I very much do), Merriam-Webster defines backassward as utterly or ridiculously backward, foolish, or wrong or as equivalent to ass-backward.
– tmgr
yesterday
Much as I like this idea of backassward (and I very much do), Merriam-Webster defines backassward as utterly or ridiculously backward, foolish, or wrong or as equivalent to ass-backward.
– tmgr
yesterday
add a comment |
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4
Related (but French): Verlan.
– Glorfindel
2 days ago
@Glorfindel, the Wikipedia states differently about what I am asking here. As the website says "verlan often drops the final vowel sound after the word is inverted, so femme and flic become meuf and keuf, respectively." // but here my question is not about dropping of any consonants or vowels.
– Ahmed
2 days ago
1
Possible duplicate of Is there a term for switching syllables of words?
– BruceWayne
2 days ago
1
@Ahmed I see that you amended your question with clarification about what kind of switch you're asking. There's no special word to distinguish your very specific situation from the other very specific situations. Hyperbaton is for word order swaps, spoonerism is for initial sounds of words, metathesis is for any kind of otherwise unspecified swap (but usually for phonemes).
– Mitch
2 days ago
Inverted order; it seems more natural to some deaf people in certain cases (it's natural, not French). Sometimes hearing people do it too.
– KannE
yesterday