Spoonerisms: The structure of errors in the serial order of speech

Abstract

Abstract-Spoonerisms are defined as involuntary rearrangements of elements in the serial order of speech, as when waste the term is produced as taste the werm. An analysis of 124 Spoonerisms in the natural speech of Germans showed that:1. Identical phonemes usually preceded (or followed) the reversed phonemes. 2. Reversals preceding identical phonemes were as common as reversals following identical phonemes. / 3. Reversed phonemes usually had similar articulatory form, i.e. voicing, nasality, open ness, and syllabic position were usually similar. But the place of articulation of reversed phonemes differed more frequently than would be expected by chance.Without serious revision chain-association theories appeared incapable of explaining these and other aspects of Spoonerisms. An alternative theory of serial order was proposed which had potential application not only to the pronunciation of words, but to the syntax of other forms of behavior and perception as well.

Investigation of phonological encoding through speech error analyses: Achievements, limitations, and alternatives

“…This phonemic similarity effect is observed in interactions of consonants as well as in interactions of vowels. The features shared most frequently by interacting consonants are manner and voice (see Berg, 1985;Kupin, 1982;MacKay, 1970;Nooteboom, 1969;Shattuck-Hufnagel & Klatt, 1979). In vowel errors the feature tense is more likely to be shared than backness (ShattuckHufnagel, 1986).…”

“…In vowel errors the feature tense is more likely to be shared than backness (ShattuckHufnagel, 1986). The fact that vowels almost always interact with vowels and consonants with consonants (e.g., Fromkin, 1971;Garrett, 1975;MacKay, 1970) can also be seen as an instance of the general tendency of errors to involve similar segments, though there are other accounts for this finding (see l.~low).~ (9) glear plue sky (clear blue sky) Recently, it has been argued that sound errors involve smaller planning units than segments or features. Using electromyography, Mowrey and Mac&y (1930) traced the motor activity during the production of tongue-twisters.…”

“…In some errors, such as (22) only one segment of a complex constituent is missing (see Stemberger & Treiman, 1986 This syllable-position constraint is observed in the majority of sound errors in the English, German, Spanish. and Dutch corpora that have been arudysed (Fromkin, 1971(Fromkin, , 1973Garcia-Albea et al, 1989;MacKay, 1970;Motley. 1973;Nooteboom 1969;Shattuck-Hufnagel, 1983Stemberger.…”

“…An important observation is that vowek usually interact with other vowels and consonants with other consonants (see, for instance, Fromkin, 1971;Garren, 1975;MacKay, 1970). This tendency can be explained by reference to syllable frames, in which the positions for onsets, nuclei, and codas are marked.…”

Twisting tongues and memories: Explorations of the relationship between language production and verbal working memory

“…Page et al (2007) investigated sublexical errors in recall using "spoonerized" lures. Spoonerisms occur when an exchange of speech sounds between two words results in the production of real words (e.g., "you've hissed my mystery lecture" instead of "you've missed my history lecture;" MacKay, 1970). Thus, when people do make speech errors with such stimuli, there is no ambiguity as to the unit over which the errors is occurring as the error results in the production of an unintended word.…”