What's in a Word

[Mike047]

With human imperfections being what they are, we are frequently misunderstood or misheard, and it can lead us into all sorts of problems. In many lands there are humorous examples of situations where verbal misconstructions are misconstrued. Some, here in the UK are:

 

Spoonerisms - William Spooner was a British clergyman and long-serving Oxford don. He was most notable for his absent-mindedness, and for supposedly mixing up the syllables in a spoken phrase, with unintentionally comic effect. Such phrases became known as spoonerisms, and are often used humorously. When it was pointed out to him, he was, to quote Queen Victoria, 'not amused'. However, some examples:

 

Dear old Queen might be said as Queer old Dean

 

Loving shepherds might be said as shoving leopards

 

Malapropisms - A malapropism is the use of an incorrect word in place of a word with a similar sound, either unintentionally or for comedic effect, resulting in a nonsensical, often humorous utterance She was a character in Richard Sheridan's play 'The Rivals'. Some examples:

 

He was apprehended by the police, becomes he was comprehended by the police

 

He was the pinnacle of success, becomes he was the pineapple of success

 

Mondegreens -  mondegreen is a mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase in a way that gives it a new meaning. Mondegreens are most often created by a person listening to a poem or a song; the listener, being unable to hear a lyric clearly, substitutes words that sound similar and make some kind of sense. This may be one that affects many of us in our day-to-day lives. An example:

 

In November, 1954, Sylvia Wright, an American writer, published a piece in Harpers, where she admitted to a gross childhood mishearing. When she was young, her mother would read to her from the “Reliques of Ancient English Poetry,” a 1765 book of popular poems and ballads. Her favorite verse began with the lines, “Ye Highlands and ye Lowlands / Oh, where hae ye been? / They hae slain the Earl Amurray, / And Lady Mondegreen.” Except they hadn’t. They left the poor Earl and “laid him on the green.” He was, alas, all by himself. This mishearing is something we may all have fallen short of, and to cost!

 

What's in a word?

[Naruwa]

Then there was the little boy that came home from Sunday school and told his mom they learned about a bear. She was surprised and asked what it was. He answered “about Gladly, the cross-eyed bear “

 

And I always thought Neil Diamond’s song was about the reverend blue jeans. 

[Qapla]

Of course, there are the famous lyrics in these songs:

 

"Straight crayon line" - Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline

 

And the always entertaining:

 

 

Supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

Even thought the thought of it is nothing but a notion

If you practice long enough, you can become a

Supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

Edited January 25 by Qapla

[Mike047]

5 hours ago, Qapla said:

Supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

Even thought the thought of it is nothing but a notion

If you practice long enough, you can become a

Supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

 

Interesting twist, John, although I think the meter might enjoy some adjustment

[Naruwa]

If you practice long enough you can enjoy the motion

[Mike047]

I am sure that you are right, although it's just a notion

[Qapla]

On 1/25/2024 at 6:19 AM, Mike047 said:

I think the meter might enjoy some adjustment

 

Supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

Even thought the thought of it is nothing but a notion

If you practice long enough, you can soon become

a Supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

 

 

[Mike047]

Not sure how the tune fits with this, but interesting

[Naruwa]

Or possibly this: 

If you practice long enough you’ll make it your devotion, as

supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

[Pabo]

23 hours ago, Naruwa said:

Or possibly this: 

If you practice long enough you’ll make it your devotion, as

supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

You need to insert an "a" after "as" as you need to have 16 beats (or syllables)

 

If you practice long enough you’ll make it your devotion, as a

Supercaliforniasurferexpertontheocean

Edited January 30 by Pabo

[Naruwa]

Actually if we’re being picky it’s two extra syllables, but in any case it’s very clever. Who is the author of this little ditty?

[Mike047]

When it comes to words, many of them are mispronounced in everyday speech, for example:

 

* Anything said as        anythink

* Certificate said as     cerstificat

* Aitch  said as             haitch (the eighth letter of the English alphabet) 

* Relevant said as        revelant

* Itinerary said as        itinary

* Temporary said as   tempory

 

There are many of them, but we get used to hearing them, and sometimes saying them too.