Tracing Quotations
William A. Spooner? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The funniest reproach aimed at a student that I have ever heard was spoken by Reverend William A. Spooner who was the Warden of New College, Oxford. The clergyman was famous for jumbling the letters and sounds of words when he spoke. His castigation of the student …
Continue reading “Origin of Spoonerism: You Have Hissed All My Mystery Lectures”
William A. Spooner? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: I love spoonerisms, humorous phrases in which the initial sounds or letters of words are swapped. According to a popular anecdote William A. Spooner who was the Warden of New College, Oxford was late to church services one day and found that a woman was sitting in …
Continue reading “Origin of Spoonerism: You Are Occupewing My Pie”