A Time for Giggles
Posted: Saturday, May 23, 2009
by Jean Purcell
OpineBooks.com
I once had to leave a public library to calm myself down from uncontrollable LOL--well, you know, laughing out loud.
Studying in the resource area, I had taken an innocent break toward the lighter side. I found a reference book with a lot of Spoonerisms.
The name of the good Reverend William Archibald Spooner, Oxford don, I already knew, associated with a particular language quirk. He tended to say and do things a bit backwards.
I tell you, it all started with one simple Spoonerism: "Every one of us has a well-warmed fish in his heart." Somehow, Mr. Spooner's congregation must have silently translated: "... a well-formed wish in his heart." For they knew him well.
But my giggles started to bubble up as I read further, of "kinkering kongs" for "conquering kings" and other misspoken phrases.
According to Wikipedia, a source that admits to getting information backwards at times, The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Third Edition (1979) has "only one substantiated Spoonerism, 'The weight of rages will press hard upon the employer'. He meant to say, of course, "The rate of wages will press hard upon the employer."
Apparently, Spooner confessed in a 1930 that he said, "Kinkering Congs Their Titles Take," meaning "Conquering Kings Their Titles Take." Wikipedia says he did not want to take credit for other similar quotes attributed to him.
My library source said that "Conquering Kings" was a hymn of Spooner's day.
As you can understand, Mr. Spooner is said to have bristled at the fact that many people came to hear him preach in the hope of hearing him utter one of his unique phrases.
However, there are times, inside and outside church, for moments of levity. Let's face it, we often behave in funny or ridiculous ways.
I have a bit of Spoonerist tendency and other people do too, whether or not willing to admit it. I don't mind 'fessing up. For example, when rushing outside to speak to my daughters when they arrived home safely as teenagers, from a driving trip, I meant to say, "I've been so nervous," for I had worried about them
Instead, I blurted at them, "I'm a nurse!" Which I'm not, so they got a laugh out of that and the phrase continues to be quoted in our house.
Only recently, intending to tell our daughter visiting from the Boston area, "Be relaxed. Don't worry about it," as she cleaned up in the living room, I said, "Be quiet."
If we were French, a close equivalent, du calme , might work, for it means to take it easy, but in English, be calm or quiet does not work, does it?
Also during our elder daughter's visit, I intended to tell her grandmother that she, our daughter Deirdre, understood the schedule for her grandmother. Helen is in home hospice with us, as some of you know.
Instead I said, "Don't worry. Deirdre knows everything."
It's amazing the young woman did not dash off back onto I-95 and home! But she understands. It's just something I do. She knows how to laugh at it, too.
We need laughter, and so what if it comes from such things? Why be so sensitive? I do see why a pastor would be self-conscious about his misstatements from the pulpit. Although, when criticized by a village parson for his levity in the pulpit, C. H. Spurgeon reportedly said the equivalent of "Perhaps if he would loosen up a bit, he would have more people to reach on the important matters on a Sunday."
As for most of us, why worry when we or others talk backwards or mix things up? I ask you, why be a nurse over such things?
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)A very interesting and entertaining article Jane, thanks for sharing it. I have known several people who practiced reversing first letters on words as they spoke, until they became quite good at it. Sometimes it becomes hilarious.Hi Joel, thanks for your comment, and especially that you found the article entertaining. I felt a need to "lighten up" in the midst of everything going on, and was glad to share my own glitches. My best regards, Jane
hi jane,i have caught myself so often saying the wrong word, but most especially in the past few years when i've been doing a lot of typing. my mind is thinking one thing, and i'm typing something else.thanks for a neat article,my best,sueSue, there might be something to that!!! Hmmmm. Makes ne feel better! - smile. Thanks so much for taking time to read and comment! All the best, Jane
Grreat article and I can definitely admit to my own "spoonerisms". Especially when my blood sugar goes crazy and the nueropathy acts up. Instead of being embarassed we play with them at times and have fun.Thanks for writing this article.Love and blessings,MichelleDear Michelle, thank you for this insight. So many of us have in common, in different ways, more than we could guess. I like that your have fun with it sometimes. That's a win! Love and blessings to you too, Jane
